Spreader apparatus for sand based formulations

ABSTRACT

The present inventions relate to top dressing vehicles for coating, mixing, and dispensing compositions of top dressing materials comprising agriculturally active ingredients (A.I.s). More particularly, these inventions relate to apparatus for spraying liquid formulations comprising active ingredients A.I.s onto top dressing materials prior to and during delivering top dressing applications. Further, these inventions relate to applying liquids comprising A.I.s to top dressing materials at a point-of-application. Even further, these inventions relate to delivering treated top dressing, specifically, to broadcast spreading of top dressing comprising sand and agriculturally active ingredients as moist and dry compositions.

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser.No. 61/002,898, filed on Nov. 13, 2007.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present inventions relate to top dressing vehicles for coating,mixing, and dispensing compositions of top dressing materials comprisingagriculturally active ingredients (A.I.s). More particularly, theseinventions relate to apparatus for spraying liquid formulationscomprising active ingredients A.I.s onto top dressing materials prior toand during delivering top dressing applications. Further, theseinventions relate to applying liquids comprising A.I.s to top dressingmaterials at a point-of-application. Even further, these inventionsrelate to delivering treated top dressing, specifically, to broadcastspreading of top dressing comprising sand and agriculturally activeingredients as moist and dry compositions.

BACKGROUND

Golf turf grass requires extensive cultivation to maintain optimal playquality. Normal machine operations such as top dressing and pesticide orfertilizer applications are disruptive to play and produce soilcompaction and turf wear, which reduces overall turf quality. Becausethese separate operations generally must be performed during the daywhen golfers are present, equipment which makes it possible to combinetwo or three maintenance tasks into one operation should reduce thedisruption of play, reduce turf wear and compaction, save time and laborexpense, and allow for more rounds of golf to be played each day.

Current top dressing spreaders are a drop-type with finished brushes anda spinner-type. These types are used to apply wet or dry sand, and othermaterials, including other types of top dressing materials onto turf ongolf courses, lawns, athletic fields, parks, and other recreationalareas as part of a normal maintenance program. Both types of machines,especially the drop-type, are capable of applying wet or dry topdressing materials (generally sand) at fairly uniform thickness toturfs. However, these machines are heavy and produce undesirable turfcompaction. The drop-type topdresser machines (topdressers) are slow andapply bands of sand merely as wide as the conveying belt that carriesthe sand to the dispenser. These types of machines in general range from3 up to at least 6 feet in width. Thus the use of drop-type topdressersrequires many passes over a large area in order to provide desiredcoverage with a top dressing material (top dressed area). Thespinner-type topdressers spread material over much wider swaths (ingeneral up to at least 40 feet in width), but spinner type machines aremuch heavier than the smaller topdressers. In general, the extra weightproduces even greater turf damage and less uniform applications thandrop-type top dressing machines.

Sprayer units are used for applying turf products to recreational turf(turf areas primarily used for recreation), especially golf course turf,and is part of a normal maintenance program. This practice generallyoccurs on a 14-day schedule throughout the growing season when disease,insect and weed pests are active. Sprayer units may be self-propelled orcarried on other vehicles, and capable of spraying swaths up to 18 feetwide with the desired fungicides, insecticides, herbicides, solublefertilizer, soil wetting agents, plant growth regulators and hormones,et cetera. However the weight of sprayer units produced turf compactionand interfered with play. Further, they produce a large amount of spraydrift to non-target areas in addition to providing a health hazard byexposing the people applying the spray and the golfers to wet sprayresidues through inhalation, skin and clothing contact.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present inventions relate to top dressing vehicles for coating,mixing, and dispensing compositions of top dressing materials comprisingagriculturally active ingredients (A.I.s). More particularly, theseinventions relate to apparatus for spraying liquid formulationscomprising active ingredients A.I.s onto top dressing materials prior toand during delivering top dressing applications. Further, theseinventions relate to applying liquids comprising A.I.s to top dressingmaterials at a point-of-application. Even further, these inventionsrelate to delivering treated top dressing, specifically, to broadcastspreading of top dressing comprising sand and agriculturally activeingredients as moist and dry compositions.

The present invention provides a top dressing vehicle comprising, adispensing unit, a conveying means and a sprayer. In one embodiment,said dispensing unit is selected from the group including but notlimited to a blending device, an elevator device, a drop spreader, abrush spreader, and a spinner spreader. In one embodiment, said topdressing material is deposited onto said conveying means. In oneembodiment, said deposited is by gravity. In one embodiment, saidsprayer is configured to deliver a spray onto said conveying means. Inone embodiment, said spray is a liquid. In one embodiment, said sprayprovides a spray curtain. In one embodiment, said spray comprisesparticles. In one embodiment, said spray comprises a mist. In oneembodiment, said vehicle is selected from the group including but notlimited to a carried vehicle, trailer vehicle, a self-propelled vehicle,and the like. In one embodiment, said conveying means is selected fromthe group including but not limited to a conveyor systems, conveyorbelts, belt conveyors, screw conveyors, augers, feeders, elevators, andthe like. In one embodiment, said sprayer is selected from the groupincluding but not limited to an electric, a hydraulic, a CO₂ sprayer,and the like. In one embodiment, said sprayer comprises a pump, aregulator valve, a tank, a hose, and a nozzle. It is not meant to limitthe location or the number of the attached sprayer parts. Indeed avariety of locations are contemplated for an attached part. Thus, in oneembodiment, said nozzle is attached to the vehicle. In one embodiment,said nozzle is attached above the conveying means. In one embodiment,said nozzle is attached to the vehicle at one side of the conveyingmeans. In one embodiment, said top dressing vehicle further comprises aboom. In one embodiment, said nozzle is attached to a boom. In oneembodiment, said tank is attached to the vehicle. In one embodiment,said hose is attached to the vehicle. In one embodiment, said nozzle isattached in a position for spraying a liquid in between the conveyingmeans and the dispensing unit. In one embodiment, said nozzle isattached to the dispensing unit. In one embodiment, said sprayer iscapable of spraying a liquid as a spray curtain. In one embodiment, saidsprayer is configured to deliver a spray onto a top dressing materialprior to conveying said material to said dispensing unit. In oneembodiment, said dispensing unit is attached to a top dressing machine.In one embodiment, said top dressing machine includes but is not limitedto a blender machine, a drop spreading machine, a spinner spreadingmachine, an elevator machine, and the like. In one embodiment, saidvehicle further comprises a flow rate adjuster unit. In one embodiment,said vehicle further comprises a calibration aid.

The present invention also provides a flow rate adjuster unit. In oneembodiment, the flow rate adjuster unit controls a regulator valve of asprayer. In one embodiment, the flow rate adjuster unit controls theflow rate of a nozzle. In one embodiment, the flow rate adjuster unitcontrols the flow rate of a rotating nozzle. In one embodiment, the flowrate adjuster unit provides automatic control of the speed of theconveyor means. In one embodiment, the flow rate adjuster unit providesautomatic control of the speed of the blender means. In one embodiment,the flow rate adjuster unit accepts operator input. In one embodiment,the flow rate adjuster accepts automatic input, including but notlimited to input from sensors, such as an axel speed sensor, a levelsensor (for sensing inclines and declines), and the like.

The present invention also provides a calibration aid. In oneembodiment, the calibration aid is an operator manual. In oneembodiment, the calibration aid is a chart. In one embodiment, thecalibration aid shows top dressing vehicle settings for deliveringspecific types of mixtures.

The present invention provides a method for making an apparatus,comprising, a) providing, i) a top dressing vehicle comprising aconveying means and a dispensing unit, ii) a sprayer unit comprising atank, a pump, a hose, and a nozzle, and ii) b) attaching said nozzle ofthe sprayer unit to said top dressing vehicle. In one embodiment, themethod further comprises attaching the nozzle above the conveying means.In one embodiment, the method further comprises attaching the nozzle atone side of the conveying means. In one embodiment, said top dressingvehicle further comprises a boom. In one embodiment, said nozzle isattached to a boom. In one embodiment, said top dressing vehicle isselected from the group including but not limited to a blender machine,a drop spreading machine, a spinner spreading machine, a broadcastspreader machine, and the like. In one embodiment, the method furthercomprises a dispensing device. In one embodiment, said dispensing unitis selected from the group including but not limited to a blendingdevice, an elevator, a drop spreader, a brush spreader, a spinnerspreader, and the like. In one embodiment, said nozzle is attached in aposition for spraying a liquid in between the conveying means and thedispensing unit. In one embodiment, said nozzle is attached to thedispensing unit. In one embodiment, the method further comprisesattaching the tank to said top dressing vehicle. In one embodiment, themethod further comprises attaching the hose to said top dressingvehicle. In one embodiment, the method further comprises attaching afoam-marking unit to a top dressing vehicle. In one embodiment, themethod further comprises attaching a flow rate adjuster unit. In oneembodiment, the method further comprises attaching a calibration aid.

The present invention also provides a method for making an apparatus,comprising, a) providing, i) a top dressing vehicle selected from thegroup including but not limited to a carried vehicle, a trailer vehicle,and a self-propelled vehicle; and ii) a sprayer unit comprising a tank,a pump, a hose, and a nozzle, and b) attaching said nozzle of thesprayer unit to said top dressing vehicle. In one embodiment, the methodfurther comprises attaching the tank to said top dressing vehicle. Inone embodiment, the method further comprises attaching the hose to saidtop dressing vehicle. In one embodiment, the method further comprisesattaching a foam-marking unit to a top dressing vehicle. In oneembodiment, the method further comprises attaching a flow rate adjusterunit. In one embodiment, the method further comprises attaching acalibration aid.

The present invention provides a method of using a top dressing vehicle,comprising, a) providing, i) a top dressing material, ii) a sprayableformulation, comprising an agriculturally active ingredient for treatinga top dressing material, iii) a top dressing vehicle, comprising aconveying means and a sprayer unit, wherein said sprayer unit is capableof spraying the formulation onto a top dressing material, and b)spraying the formulation onto the top dressing material with the sprayerunit of the top dressing vehicle for providing a treated top dressingmaterial. In one embodiment, during the spraying of step b) the topdressing material is moving through the spray. In one embodiment, saidagriculturally active ingredient is selected from the group includingbut not limited to a fungicide, insecticide, herbicide, plant growthregulator, soil wetting agent, fertilizer, plant hormone, plant extract,biological control agent, plant nutrients, and the like. In oneembodiment, said sprayer unit is attached to the top dressing vehicle.In one embodiment, said sprayer unit comprises a hand-held sprayer. Inone embodiment, said top dressing vehicle further comprises a dispensingunit. In one embodiment, the method further comprises calibrating thedispensing of the top dressing material. In one embodiment, saiddispensing unit is selected from the group including but not limited toa blending device, a drop spreader, a brush spreader, a spinnerspreader, an elevator, a broadcast spreader, and the like. In oneembodiment, said nozzle is attached in a position for spraying a liquidin between the conveying means and the dispensing unit. In oneembodiment, said nozzle is capable of spraying a spray curtain. In oneembodiment, said treated top dressing continues to move to saiddispensing unit. In one embodiment, said top dressing material comprisessand. In one embodiment, the method further comprises calibrating thespraying of the top dressing material. In one embodiment, the methodfurther comprises attaching a flow rate adjuster unit to the wherein thetop dressing vehicle. In one embodiment, the method further comprisesattaching a calibration aid. In one embodiment, the method furthercomprises attaching a foam ejector. In one embodiment, the methodfurther comprises attaching a foam-marking unit. In one embodiment, saidtop dressing material is selected from the group including but notlimited to sand, peat, soil, blends and mixtures of sand and peat, sandand soil, peat and soil, sand, soil, and peat, and the like. In oneembodiment, said top dressing material is sand.

The present invention provides a composition, comprising a marker and atop dressing material, where said top dressing material comprises anagriculturally active ingredient. In one embodiment, said marker is acolor. In one embodiment, said marker is biodegradable.

The present invention provides a method of marking a top dressingmaterial, comprising, a) providing, i) a composition comprising a markerand ii) a top dressing material comprising an agriculturally activeingredient, and b) adding said marker to the top dressing material. Inone embodiment, said top dressing material comprises sand. In oneembodiment, said top dressing material comprises peat.

DEFINITIONS

To facilitate an understanding of the present invention, a number ofterms and phrases as used herein are defined below:

The use of the article “a” or “an” is intended to include one or more.

As used herein, terms defined in the singular are intended to includethose terms defined in the plural and vice versa, for example, as usedherein, the term “apparatus” refers to a device, such as equipment,designed for a particular use. Thus, an apparatus may be singular orplural, whereas apparati and apparatuses refer to singular and pluralpieces of equipment, respectively.

As used herein, the term “material” or “materials” refers to, in theirbroadest sense, any composition of matter, such as a top dressingmaterial.

As used herein, the term “point-of-application” refers in general to aturfgrass facility, such as a golf course or Turf farm. For the purposesof the present inventions, a point-of-application may specifically referto an area of turf, such as a top dressing vehicle of the presentinventions providing and delivering a composition of the presentinventions directly to an area of turf grass.

As used herein, the term “carrier” refers to one or more substances thatact as a vehicle for an agricultural chemical and that is suitable foradministration to a plant or soil (i.e., turfgrass plant, putting green,and the like). A “carrier” in general, includes but is not limited to,solid and liquid diluents, hydrotropes, surface-active agents,encapsulating substances, and for the purposes of the presentinventions, sand as a carrier for an agriculturally active ingredient.For the purposes of the present inventions, a carrier, such as a sandparticle, can be combined with an active compound according to methodsdescribed herein. The carrier ingredients discussed above are exemplaryand not meant to limit the type of carrier of the present inventions.

As used herein, the term “composition” or “formulation” refers to acomposition of matter including at least two substances; for example, acomposition may be in the form of a liquid, solid or both, such as asuspension. Moreover, in certain embodiments, the compositions of thepresent invention may be formulated for horticultural or agriculturaluse. Such compositions include sprays, mists, powders, dusts, andgranules.

For the purposes of the present inventions a “dry formulation” or “drycomposition” refers to a composition wherein the A.I. is formulated as asolid, such as a granule, particle, dust, powder and the like. Ingeneral, a dry formulation refers to a composition comprising less than1% water. In some embodiments, a dry composition is moistened prior touse, i.e. distributing onto an area of turf. Alternatively, when theA.I. is formulated as a liquid, mist, gel, suspension, and the like, ina composition or mixture, the composition is a “moist composition” or“moist formulation.”

In general, “moist” refers to a composition comprising at least 1%water. In some embodiments, a moist composition is dried prior to use,i.e. distributing onto an area of turf. In some embodiments, such aswhere a saturated mixture is provided, for example, sand soaked in abucket of liquid A.I. formulation, a “wet composition” or “wetformulation” is created.

As used herein, “solution” refers to when the molecules of a compound orsolute are uniformly mixed with the molecules of the solvent.

As used herein, “soluble” refers to a compound that can be dissolved inwater. In reference to a fertilizer, refers to a fertilizer that is madeup of easily dissolved components in water that are immediatelyavailable for plant use.

As used herein, “suspension” refers to particles of a solid dispersed ina liquid but not dissolved.

As used herein, “diluent” refers to an inert material used in thecomposition of sprays, for example, water, and dusts, for example,diatomaceous earth, clay, and the like. A diluent is usually combinedwith an active ingredient to dilute or otherwise make the mixed materialmore suitable for field application.

As used herein, “emulsifier” or “emulsifying agent” refers to asurface-active material that reduces the separation of droplets of oneliquid in another.

As used herein, “wetting agent” refers to a compound that reduces thedroplet size and lowers the surface tension of the water, making itwetter.

As used herein, “inert” in reference to an “inert ingredient” refers toa material in a fungicide, pesticide, fertilizer, nutrient, growthregulator, composition that have no activity in creating the desiredeffect of the product. An inert ingredient may serve as a binding agentor carrier for the active ingredients such that they can be appliedefficiently and uniformly.

As used herein, “effective amount” refers to the amount of a substance(e.g., including an active substance) sufficient to effect beneficial ordesired results. An effective amount can be administered in one or moreadministrations, applications or dosages and is not intended to belimited to a particular composition or administration route.

As used herein, the term “top dressing” or “top dressing” or “top dress”in reference to an action refers to a maintenance practice of spreadinga material substance over an area of turfgrass, such as a putting green,teeing green (tee box), fairway, sports field, and the like, to leveland smooth the surface. It also has the effect of improving drainage,controlling thatch and maintaining biological balance, and maintainingquality of play.

As used herein, the term “top dressing” or “top dressing” or “top dress”in reference to a material or substance refers to a compositioncomprising inorganic and organic matter, such as sand, silt, clay,mulch, compost, and the like. A top dressing may be generally formulatedfor a wide variety of turf and further specifically formulated for anarea of turf grass plants or sand, for example formulations specificallyfor applying/distributing onto a golf course green, such as tee topdressing, fairway top dressing, green top dressing, rough top dressing,a putting green top dressing, divot top dressing, sod top dressing, or asandy area such as a bunker top dressing.

A “top dressing component” of the present inventions refer to a materialor substance for making a top dressing material or mixture for use inthe present inventions, such as a top dressing blended with a substanceor active ingredient.

As used herein, the term “forming a concentrate” refers to adding anactive ingredient to a top dressing material in an amount that is lowerin concentration than the A.I. formulation and higher in concentrationthan the intended treatment, for example, making a pre-blend isproviding a “concentrate” for use in the present inventions.

As used herein, the term “majority by weight” refers to an amount of aningredient, such as the amount of sand in a top dressing material or topdressing composition where the amount is at least 50% of the totalweight of the composition.

As used herein, the term “simultaneously” refers to at least twoactivates, such as blending and applying, spraying and delivering,mixing and delivering, and the like, occurring sequentially within arelatively short time frame. An exemplary simultaneous activity isprovided such that a single top dressing vehicle of the presentinvention sprays a top dressing being moved by a conveying means to adelivering unit, i.e. a spinner or a brush, et cetera.

As used herein, the term “desired physical properties” in reference to atop dressing refers to physical properties, such as interpacking,compaction, pore space distribution (porosity), root zone compatibility,particle size, saturated hydraulic conductivity (perk rate), bulkdensity, particle density, pH, water retention, and the like.

As used herein, “interpacking” refers to compaction of particles, suchthat a wide spread of particle sizes will increase interpacking anddecrease drainage.

As used herein, “porosity” in reference to a soil, sand, such as a topdressing, or mixture of soil and sand, refers to a measurement of thevolume of water and air that can be held in a certain volume.

As used herein, the term “sand” or “sand particle” or “sand grain” or“sand granule” refers to an inorganic mineral particle whose diameterranges between 0.053 mm or 53 microns in the United States, 63 micronsin the United Kingdom to 2 (mm) (2000 microns) and in size, that mayhave a shape ranging from round to angular. The size of sand particlesin a composition directly affects the amount of water retention, suchthat the coarser the particles the less water is retained. Conversely,sand composed mostly of fine particles retains more water. Sand may alsorefer to a loose aggregate of unconsolidated mineral particles or rockparticles, such that a sand particle is illustratively formed fromminerals selected from the following examples, silica, quartz,cristobolite, flint, chert, opal, chalcedony, feldspar, serpentinite,basalt, magnetite, mica, limestone, calcium carbonate, gypsum, chlorite,glauconite (gypsum), etc., of which at least 50% of particles are sandgrain size of between 0.053 U.S./0.63 U.K. and 2 mm. “Sand” in referenceto a top dressing material refers to a material comprising at least 50%sand particles.

As used herein, the term “silica” refers to an inorganic compound formedfrom silicon and oxygen, such as “silicon dioxide” or “SiO₂,” that innatural form is found as a type of crystalline silica, for example,quartz, cristobalite, tridymite, etc.

As used herein, the term “silica particle” refers to a particle rangingin size from 2.0 mm to 0.053 mm, for example a silica particle ranges insize from coarse to fine silica.

As used herein, the term “particle” generally refers to a piece of solidmatter, such as a particle of sand, clay, etc.

As used herein, the term “particle size analysis” or “PSA” refers todetermining such parameters as the percentage of particle diameter in acomposition, for example, a D15 (particle diameter at which 15% of theparticles present are finer), a D85 (particle diameter at which 85% ofthe particles present are finer), etc.

As used herein, “silt” refers to an inorganic mineral particle between53 microns (63 microns in the United Kingdom) and 2 microns in diameter,for example, a coarse silt particle ranges between 63 and 20 microns indiameter, a fine silt particle ranges between 20 and 2 microns indiameter. In a further example, the USGA defines silt as an inorganicmineral fraction between 53 and 2 microns in diameter.

As used herein, “clay” in reference to a particle refers to aphyllosilicate particle smaller than 0.002 millimeters (2 microns) indiameter, wherein a clay particle may be classified as very fine rangingfrom 0.05-0.1 mm, fine ranging from 0.1-0.25 mm, medium ranging from0.25-0.5 mm, coarse ranging from 0.5-1 mm, and very coarse ranging from1-2 mm.

As used herein, “gravel” in reference to a particle, refers to aninorganic particle greater than 2 mm up to 64 mm 2.0 microns up to 7.0mm

As used herein, the term “granule” refers to a particle of a certainmesh size, for example, a 15/30-mesh range is common. This means that atleast 98% by weight of the particle will pass through a screen with 15openings per linear inch, but not more than 5% will pass through ascreen with 30 openings per linear inch. Particles smaller than 60 meshare considered dusts.

As used herein, the term “diatomaceous earth” or “diatomite” refers to aparticle of rock, high in amorphous silica content, formed from thestructures of tiny fresh- and salt-water organisms called diatoms.

As used herein, the term “granular” refers to a composition, such assand, a pesticide, a fertilizer composition, and the like. In someembodiments, a granular composition includes an agricultural chemical ornutrient attached to small, dry particles of some inert carrier such assand, ground peanut hulls, vermiculite, ground corn cobs, etc.

As used herein, the term “coat” or “coating” or “coats” or “treating” or“treat” refers to covering a particle with a material, such as coveringa top dressing material with a liquid formulation or a powderformulation. Coating may be accomplished by any means, for example,spraying the top dressing material with a liquid or powder, soaking thetop dressing material in a liquid, etc., such that the AI is co-appliedwith the top dressing material. For use in the present invention,“coating” and “applying” may be used interchangeably in reference tocovering a top dressing material with an AI, such that, the term“applying” in reference to coating a top dressing material, refers tocoating a top dressing material with a substance, such as a fungicide, apesticide, etc. by spraying, soaking, irrigation, and the like.

As used herein, the term “applying means” refers to a device for coatinga top dressing material with an A.I., including devices such as anair-powered backpack sprayer, a bucket, a hand, a drop spreader, ablending device, and a top dressing vehicle, et cetera.

As used herein, the term “point-of-application” or “area of a golfcourse” or “turf,” refers to a desired location for an application of acomposition of the present inventions, such as a putting green, afairway, a rough area, a tee, and a bunker. For use in the presentinventions, the term “applying” in reference to a point-of-application,refers to placing one substance onto another, including delivering a topdressing material onto the surface of a golf course, an area of turfgrass plants, and the like.

As used herein, the term “treatment” refers to a delivery or applicationof a composition onto an area of turf, such as an area of a golf course.

As used herein, the term “spot treatment” refers to an application of atop dressing, a composition of the present inventions, a fungicide, apesticide, etc., to a limited or small area.

As used herein, the term “delivering” or “dispensing” or “application”refers to placing or distributing any composition of matter onto an areacovered by turf grass plants, including a composition of the presentinvention, for example delivery may be accomplished by hand broadcast,machine spreading, brushing, spraying, machine broadcasting, irrigating,top dressing vehicle, and the like, onto an area of turf grass plants.

As used herein, the term “dispensing means” refers to a unit 6 fordelivering or distributing a top dressing including a composition of thepresenting inventions.

As used herein, the term “agricultural chemical” in general refers tochemicals such as herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, pesticides,nematicides, synthetic fertilizers, organic fertilizers, growthregulators, and the like.

As used herein, the term “active ingredient” or “AI” or “agriculturallyactive chemical” or “agriculturally active ingredient” or “activecompound” or “active ingredient” or “active substance” or “agriculturalchemical” or similar term refers to any type of chemical or substancethat when applied to a plant or applied to the soil for growing theplant results in obtaining a desired result, i.e. an active agent isthat portion of a fungicide product which provides the fungicidalproperties, the portion of a pesticide product which provides pesticidalproperties, a nutrient that enhances plant growth, and the like. Anactive ingredient may be organic or inorganic and an ingredient of aformulation, such as a fungicide, a wetting agent, an insecticide, anherbicide, a fertilizer, a synthetic fertilizer, an organic fertilizer,a nematicide, a plant growth regulator, et cetera.

As used herein, the term “cidal properties” in reference to a fungicide,a pesticide, and the like refers to the capability of the chemical toreduce the amount of fungus, pest and the like.

As used herein, “inorganic” refers to a substance of or derived frommineral origin.

As used herein, “organic” refers to a substance of or formed from livingthings, such as anything produced by or derived from, plants or animals.Organic in reference to a chemical compound refers to a substancecontaining the element carbon a form other than inorganic carbonates.

As used herein, “organic matter” refers to a substance, such as a topdressing component, comprising organic material.

As used herein, “organic matter” in reference to soil refers to aportion of the soil including substances derived from the life and deathof plants, plant parts and other soil organisms.

As used herein, the term “soil” refers to the earth's thin upper layercapable of supporting plant growth, including topsoil, subsoil, etcetera. Soil is characterized by such things as texture, structure,color, and fertility, such as supporting plant and microbial life, whichdistinguish soil from material like gravel, sand or bedrock that alsocover a portion of the earth's surface.

As used herein, “soil pH” refers to a numerical measure of soil acidityor alkalinity based on the hydrogen ion (H+) concentration in the soil.A pH of 7 indicates neutral conditions (neither acidic nor alkaline);above pH 7 is basic (alkaline) soil, below pH 7 is acidic soil.

As used herein, “texture” in reference to a soil refers to a relativeproportion (expressed as a percent) of sand, silt, and clay particles ina soil, such that it determines soil “coarseness” or “fineness.”

As used herein, the term “turfgrass” in reference to a plant refers to adesirable species or cultivar of grass plant that is maintained at adesired height through regular mowing, examples include, bent grass,annual bluegrass, ryegrass and the like, in particular a golf coursegreen-turfgrass plant. Examples of turfgrass plants include olderestablished turf grass plants and turfgrass plants specifically bredand/or engineered to provide “modern” turfgrass plants.

As used herein, the term “turf” in general refers to an area of landcovered with turfgrass plants.

As used herein, “weed” refers to an undesired, uncultivated plantgrowing in a manner so as to adversely compete with desirable plants forwater, light and nutrients, or destroy desired qualities of a golfcourse green, sports field or lawn, in general, weeds are removed bycertain herbicides.

As used herein, “natural growth cycle” in reference to a turf grassplant refers to a sequence of grass root, shoot and flowering growthphases that occur naturally over the course of a growing season.

As used herein, “thatch” refers to a dense, fibrous layer of living anddead grass stems, leaves, and roots, without decomposition or partiallydecomposed, that accumulates between the green vegetation and soilsurface.

As used herein, the term “mulch” refers to a composition of non-livingmaterial used to cover the soil surface, generally for such purposes ascontrolling weeds, conserving moisture, reducing soil temperatures,improving appearance, et cetera. Examples of mulch include, woodchips,compost, leaves, et cetera.

As used herein, “peat” refers to a partly decomposed plant materialfound in marshy areas. Identification or origination of parent plantmaterial may still be possible (e.g., sphagnum peat moss).

As used herein, “humus” refers to a dark, fertile, partially decomposedplant or animal matter, such that humus forms organic portions of thesoil.

As used herein, “compost” in general refers to partially to completelydecomposed organic materials and additionally a range of productsincluding simple mixtures of substances such as peat, sand, coir, loam,and actual composed material. “Composting” refers to the breakdown ofdegradable organic matter by microbes under moist, warm, aerobic (in thepresence of oxygen) conditions.

As used herein, “coir” refers to the protective fibrous layersurrounding the hard shell in coconut fruits (Cocos nucifera). Thesefibers are the same used to make ropes and mats. During the fiberstripping process, the pulp surrounding the coir fibers is removed as awaste material. The residue is a crumbly brown substance often used inpotting media as a bulk ingredient to increase moisture retention andporosity.

As used herein, the term “loam” refers to a composition of matter,including such substances as fertile soil, humus, sand, silt, clay, etcetera.

As used herein, “rhizome” refers to an underground root-like stem withscale-like leaves and roots originating from the nodes (bud containingareas along a stem).

As used herein, “rhizomatous” refers to a spreading growth resultingfrom the production and elongation of rhizomes.

As used herein, “root” refers to a fibrous, underground part of a plantassociated with mineral and water absorption.

As used herein, “root zone” refers to a portion of the soil columnoccupied by plant roots.

As used herein, “canopy” refers to a layer of vegetation elevated abovethe ground

As used herein, the term “foliage” refers to a leaf, such as a blade, ormore generally, the green part of a plant.

As used herein “surface” in reference to delivering a top dressingrefers to the aboveground area of turf, including the abovegroundsurface of a turfgrass plant, such as a blade or leaf referred to ingeneral as “foliage.”

As used herein, “scalping” refers to an undesirable mowing practice thatremoves an excessive amount of green leaves and shoots at any onemowing. It can seriously weaken or even kill the turfgrass plants.

As used herein, “grain” refers to the tendency of a species of grass togrow in a certain direction.

As used herein, “grainy” in reference to a putting green, refers to thetendency for grass leaves to lie down in one direction and interferewith the natural roll of the golf ball.

As used herein, “scalping” refers to cutting into or below the crown ofthe grass plant while mowing.

As used herein, “wear” refers to accumulative (usually deleterious)effects of traffic on a turf area.

As used herein, “aeration” refers to a supplying growing mediums androots with air or oxygen.

As used herein, “aeration” in reference to a soil refers to a movementor exchange of air between the soil and the atmosphere.

As used herein, “aerification” in reference to a soil refers to amechanical removal of soil cores to improve soil air exchange.

As used herein, the term “soil amendment” refers to a material that addsto the organic portion of a soil, for example, soil, peat, mulch, greencompost, and the like.

As used herein, the term “soluble” refers to a compound that can bedissolved in water. In reference to a fertilizer, refers to a fertilizerthat is made up of easily dissolved components in water that areimmediately available for plant use.

As used herein, the term “suspension” refers to particles of a soliddispersed in a liquid but not dissolved.

As used herein, the term “diluent” refers to an inert material used inthe composition of sprays, for example, water, and dusts, for example,diatomaceous earth, clay, and the like. A diluent is usually combinedwith an active ingredient to dilute or otherwise make the mixed materialmore suitable for field application.

As used herein, the term “emulsifier” or “emulsifying agent” refers to asurface-active material that reduces the separation of droplets of oneliquid in another.

As used herein, the term “wetting agent” or “surfactant” refers to acompound that reduces the surface tension of the water, thus reduces thedroplet size of a liquid.

As used herein, the term “spreader” in reference to a substance refersto a chemical or solution that increases the firmness of attachment ofmaterials to surfaces.

As used herein, the term “inert” in reference to an “inert ingredient”refers to a material in a fungicide, pesticide, fertilizer, nutrient,growth regulator, composition that has no activity in creating thedesired effect of the product. An inert ingredient may serve as abinding agent or carrier for the active ingredients such that they canbe applied efficiently and uniformly.

As used herein, the term “effective amount” refers to the amount of asubstance (e.g., including an active substance) sufficient to effectbeneficial or desired results. An effective amount can be administeredin one or more administrations, applications or dosages and is notintended to be limited to a particular composition or administrationroute.

As used herein, the term “pesticide” refers to a chemical or mixture ofchemicals or biological agents used to control or eliminate any one of amicroorganism, an insect, a plant or an animal pest in order to protectand/or preserve desirable plants, such as turfgrass plants.

As used herein, the term “insecticide” refers to a specific category ofpesticides used for controlling or eliminating insects.

As used herein, the term “herbicide” refers to a chemical or mixture ofchemicals or biological agent used to control or eliminate undesirableplants in a particular location, such as eliminating weeds in a turfplot.

As used herein, the term “phenoxy-type herbicides” refers to a categoryof systemic weed killers that have a chemical structure composed of sixcarbon atoms joined together in a ring formation, for example 2,4-D,mecoprop (MCPP), and the like.

As used herein, the term “broadcast application” refers to a uniformdistribution of a material over an area of turfgrass, such as a topdressing, a fungicide, a fertilizer, a composition of the presentinventions, and the like.

As used herein, “aerial application” refers to applying or delivering amaterial from an aircraft in flight.

As used herein, the term “cubic foot” refers to a volume measurement infeet, such that width times length times height equals cubic feet.

As used herein, the term “square feet’ or “sq. ft.” refers to a length(in feet) times width equals square feet.

As used herein, the term “adding” in reference to a method of thepresent inventions refers to an action of blending, mixing, spraying,and the like, for example, adding an active compound to a material,spraying a liquid onto a carrier, such as sand, and the like.

As used herein, the term “blending agent” refers to a material thatenhances the even distribution of a mixture of materials, such asliquids or solids.

As used herein, the term “drying agent” refers to a material, such asanhydrous sodium, calcareous material, that removes water from amaterial, such as sand.

As used herein, the term “application volume” refers to the volume of aspray liquid (including pesticides, diluents, adjuvants, carriers andother components of the spray solution) applied per unit area (forexample, expressed as liters per hectare or gallons per acre).

As used herein, the term “sprayer” in reference to a unit, refers to ameans for applying a liquid or powder to a substance, typicallycomprising a pump, valves, tank, hoses, and a nozzle, for example, asprayer may be used to coat a top dressing material with an activeingredient.

As used herein, the term “sprayable” refers to any material orsubstance, such as a chemical, capable of being sprayed by a sprayer.

The term “configured” in reference to “sprayer is configured to delivera spray” refers to an operable combination of parts, including but notlimited to a pump, tank, valve, hose and nozzle, for spraying aformulation.

As used herein, the term “nozzle” or “spray valve” or “spray nozzle” or“Spray Valve Nozzle” refers to a device with an opening, for regulatingand directing a flow of fluid.

As used herein, the term “valve” in reference to a device for regulatingthe flow of liquid refers to a means for modulating the amount of fluidwithin a conduit, such as a hose, pipe, nozzle, and the like. A valvemay alter amount or pressure of liquid within a conduit in response to asignal from a person or a control system, such as a signal from a flowregulator contemplated for use in the present inventions.

As used herein, the term “tank” in reference to a sprayer, refers to acontainer for holding or storing liquids, solids or gases. It is notintended that a tank be constructed in any particular shape or made upof any particular material.

As used herein, the term “tank tray” refers to a receptacle with orwithout sides or a raised edge or rim, used for carrying and holding atank, such that a tank tray may be used to attach a tank to a topdressing vehicle.

As used herein, the term “deck” refers to a platform or surface, suchas, a deck for mounting a spray tank. It is not necessary that thesurface is uniform, and it may contain gaps or openings. For example,the platform may be designed as a grid with openings configured topermit support of appropriately sized tanks.

As used herein, the term “hydraulic” and “hydraulic system” refers to asystem moved by, or operated by a fluid, e.g., oil, under pressure. Ahydraulic pump refers to a mechanism for creating fluidic pressure. Ahydraulic valve refers to a mechanism for altering the direction offluidic pressure.

As used herein, the term “vehicle” in reference to a top dressingvehicle 1, refers to any type of machine used for blending a topdressing material and dispensing a top dressing material, including butnot limited to a blending machine, a self-propelled machine and atrailer with on-board power or requiring power from a towing machine.

As used herein, the term “trailer” refers to a transport vehicledesigned to be hauled by a truck or tractor (e.g., truckbed). A trailermay also be placed onto a transport vehicle.

As used herein, the term “spray” and “spray curtain” refers to the areawhere a formulation is applied after leaving a nozzle.

As used herein, the term “attach” in reference to attaching parts, suchas a tank, hose, nozzle, etc. refers to any means of securing a part toa machine. Examples of attachment devices are direct, bolts, rivets,c-clamps, hangers, tape, wires, screw attachments, and the like, orindirect, for example attaching a nozzle by attaching a pipe where thenozzles are attached to the pipe, attaching a bar to the machine thenattaching the nozzles to the bar, a tank tray for attaching a tank, andthe like.

As used herein, the term “conveying means” refers to any device 8 formoving a substance, in particular a top dressing, for examples, conveyorsystems, conveyor belts, belt conveyors, screw conveyors, augers,feeders, and elevators.

As used herein, the term “topdresser” in reference to a device, refersto a means for delivering a top dressing material to a surface, such asby spreading a top dressing onto a turf, dropping top dressing onto aturf, and the like.

As used herein, the term “drop spreader” or “spreader” “drop-typespreader” in reference to a top dressing vehicle, refers to a means fordelivering top dressing materials, often comprising a “brush” fordistributing the top dressing materials as the materials “drop” from aconveying means. Alternatively termed a “gravity spreader.”

As used herein, the term “blender” in reference to a device refers to ameans for mixing at least 2 different materials.

As used herein, the term “pathogen” refers to a organism, microorganism,or agent with the capacity to cause a plant disease including, but notlimited to, viruses, bacteria, parasites (including, but not limited to,organisms within the phyla Protozoa, Platyhelminthes, Aschelminithes,Acanthocephala, and Arthropoda), and fungi, such as Sclerotiniahomoeocarpa (Dollar Spot), Ectotrophic Root Infecting Fungi,Basidiomycete fungi (fairy ring), Colletotrichum graminicola(Anthracnose), Take-all Root Rot (black mycelia fungus), etc.

As used herein, “fungus” or “fungi” refers to a lower plant lackingchlorophyll that may attack green plants, such as mold, rust, mildew,and mushrooms are fungi.

As used herein, “fungicide” refers to a product that destroys orinhibits fungal growth, for example, a reduction in brown areas of turf.

As used herein, “fungistat” refers to a product that inhibits a funguskeeping it growth check, for example, stopping the expansion of a brownspot.

As used herein, “disease” refers to an interaction between a grassplant, a pathogen and its environment resulting in abnormal growthand/or appearance.

As used herein, “patch disease” refers to a non-specific term applied tosmall dead, circular areas in a live turf grass plant area (green)caused by a pathogen. Symptoms may also include the appearance of deadrings of grass, such as “fairy rings” with green grass inside andoutside of the ring.

As used herein, “pest” in reference to a plant refers to an insect,mite, rodent, nematode, fungus, weed, or other organism capable ofcausing plant stress, injury or death through a disease, such as afungus, a consumption of the plant, such as an insect, or competitionwith the plant, such as a weed.

As used herein, “pesticide” refers to a chemical or mixture of chemicalsor biological agent used to control any one of a microorganism, aninsect, a plant or an animal pest in order to protect and/or preservedesirable plants, such as turfgrass plants.

As used herein, “insecticide” refers to a specific category ofpesticides used for controlling insects.

As used herein, “phenoxy-type herbicides” refers to a category ofsystemic weed killers that have a chemical structure composed of sixcarbon atoms joined together in a ring formation, for example 2,4-D,mecoprop (MCPP), and the like.

As used herein, “fertilizer” refers to a substances containing one ormore of nitrogen capable of acting as a plant nutrient, phosphate,potassium and illustratively include urea, sulfur-coated urea,isobutylidene diurea, ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, ammoniumphosphate, triple super phosphate, phosphoric acid, potassium sulphate,potassium nitrate, potassium metaphosphate, potassium chloride,dipotassium carbonate, potassium oxide, urea ammonium sulfate, ureaammonium phosphate, proteins, amino acids, and any combination of these.

As used herein, the term “net weight” in reference to a substance in aformulation, such as a fertilizer, refers to an actual weight of thesubstance contained in a certain volume of formulation, for example, theamount of actual fertilizer in a fertilizer formulation.

As used herein, the term “liquid fertilization” in reference to a liquidfertilizer, refers to a method of applying or delivering plant nutrientsas a solution of dissolved fertilizer salts.

As used herein, the term “solid fertilization” in reference to a solidfertilizer, refers to a method of applying or delivering plant nutrientsas granules of fertilizer salts.

As used herein, “N—P—K: Chemical symbols for nitrogen (N), phosphorus(P) and potassium (K). On a container of fertilizer, these nutrients areexpressed as percentages contained in the package and are shown in theorder N—P—K.

As used herein, “Nitrogen” refers to an essential nutrient required forplant growth. It is a significant component of plant proteins. Adequatenitrogen produces good green color and vigorous plants. Yellowing leavesand poor growth usually indicates shortages of nitrogen. Excess nitrogencan result in unhealthy, lush growth making the plants more vulnerableto environmental stresses such as heat, drought, frost, and increaseddisease susceptibility.

As used herein, “Phosphorous” refers to a one of the major plantnutrients that is important in root growth and plant energy functions.Phosphorous is the middle number of a fertilizer analysis N—P—K.

As used herein, “Potassium” refers to a one of the major plant nutrientsimportant in maintaining general plant health and vigor. Potassium oftenassociated with improved stress and disease tolerance. Potassium is thethird number in the fertilizer analysis N—P—K.

As used herein, “all-purpose” or “general-purpose” in reference to afertilizer refers to a balanced blend of N—P—K, such as an all purposefertilizer for soil and is used by most growers in the vegetative growthstage, examples include, Miracle-Gro fertilizer and Peters fertilizer.

As used herein, “nutrient” in reference to a plant or “plant nutrient”refers to a mineral element considered essential for plant growth. Thereare at least 16 minerals known to play essential roles in plantnutrition, for example, macronutrients, such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus(P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S), andmicronutrients, such as boron (B), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), chloride(Cl), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), zinc (Zn), etc. such thatfertilizer is a plant nutrient, in addition to secondary andmicronutrients which illustratively include calcium, magnesium, sulfur,iron, manganese, copper, zinc; oxides salts thereof, ligands thereof,and combinations thereof.

As used herein, “nutrient release rate” refers to a speed at which plantnutrients, especially N, become available for plant use followingapplication to a plant. This rate is often determined by the product,water and temperature conditions at the time of application.

As used herein, “plant growth regulator” refers to an active substanceor preparation that contains one or more active substances which isintended to influence the life processes of a plant, destroy unwantedplants, or destroy parts of plants or control growth or prevent theundesired growth of plants.

As used herein, “irrigation” refers to a use of automated or manualsystems for delivering supplemental water for the benefit of growingplants and replenishing soil moisture.

As used herein, “watering-in” refers to water applied to turfimmediately after the application of a top dressing, a fungicide, apesticide a fertilizer, or a composition of the present invention, inorder to dissolve and/or move materials into the soil.

As used herein, “infiltration” refers to a physical process of movementof a substance into a soil, such as water, sand, fungicide, and thelike.

As used herein, “leaching” refers to a downward movement in water ofpesticides and/or nutrients through the soil column.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exemplary photograph showing a Suppressive Sand Dollar SpotStudy, 2007, demonstrating effectiveness of fungicide treated sand onturfgrass disease (dollar spot). Conducted at the Hancock TurfgrassResearch Center, Michigan State University (M.S.U.), East Lansing, Mich.(MI). Treatment rates indicated are per 1000 sq ft. *Treatments receivedgreen's grade Country Club fertilizer (18-3-12) at a rate of 0.19 lbsN/1000 sq ft every 14 days. Arrows point to areas of dead turf.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary photograph showing a Suppressive Sand Dollar SpotStudy, 2007, demonstrating effectiveness of Headway fungicide treatedsand on turfgrass disease. Conducted at the Hancock Turfgrass ResearchCenter, Michigan State University (M.S.U.), East Lansing, Mich. (MI).Treatment rates indicated are per 1000 sq ft. *Treatments receivedgreens grade Country Club fertilizer (18-3-12) at a rate of 0.19 lbsN/1000 sq ft every 14 days. Arrows point to areas of dead turf.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary finishing brush drop-type topdressing vehicle1, A) with an attached nozzle 2, and manually dispensing a spray of aliquid formulation, using a CO₂ compressor 10, from a tank 3, through ahose 4, onto a sand conveyor means, belt, 8 carrying sand to thefinishing brush 6, for distributing a topdressing material 7 and B)showing two nozzles attached with a metal pipe 5, for dispensing liquidfrom hose 4, through nozzles 2, onto a sand conveyor belt 8 carryingsand 7 to the finishing brush 6.

FIG. 4 shows an exemplary self-propelled brush drop-type topdressingvehicle 1, such as a 3 foot Meter-R-Matic™ Top Dresser, Turfco™, with A)two attached nozzles 2, hose 4, for spraying a topdressing material asit drops from the conveyor belt, B) showing another embodiment for anattached nozzle 2, hose 4, for spraying a topdressing material 7 whereC) shows a close up view of the nozzle 2 placement, D) shows sand 7being moved on the conveyor belt 8 while being sprayed using nozzles 2,further showing the type of spray pattern, black arrows, and E) shows aside view of an exemplary spray pattern/spray curtain, white arrow,sprayed from nozzles 2.

FIG. 5 shows an exemplary brush drop-type topdressing vehicle 1 with A)four attached nozzles 2 for spraying topdressing before it drops intobrush 6, and B) showing another exemplary embodiment for attachingnozzles where an attached (tape) hose 4, attached (tape) bar 5 was usedfor indirectly attached nozzles 2, and conveying means 8 for moving atopdressing material through a spray curtain prior to dispensing withbrush 6.

FIG. 6 shows an exemplary brush drop-type topdressing vehicle 1, alsoshown in FIG. 5, further showing A) an attached spray tank 3, hose 4,with a schematic of pump/compressor 10 and B) an exemplary foam markingunit comprising tank 3, hose 4, pump/compressor 10, electrical wiring 11and outlet tube 13.

FIG. 7 shows an exemplary spinner topdressing vehicle 1 for use in thepresent inventions, A) shows a trailer-type spinner-type topdressingvehicle 1, showing an exemplary schematic for the placement andattachment of tank 3, compressor 10, B) shows one embodiment ofexemplary nozzles 2, pipe 5, and a spray pattern schematic as whitetriangles showing where spray was applied to a topdressing material 7distributed off the spinner unit 6 and an exemplary attachment foammarking system tank 3, compressor 10, hoses 4 leading to outlet tube 13attached with bar/boom 5, C) shows another embodiment for the locationof the nozzles 2 and pipe attachment 5 where the topdressing material,amount controlled by rear gate 12 is sprayed while on the conveyingmeans prior to entering the spinner device 6.

FIG. 8 shows an exemplary spinner topdressing vehicle 1 A) demonstratesa sprayer tank 3, compressor 10, hose 4 attached to vehicle 1, cover forspinner device 6 and dispensed top dressing 7, B) shows an exemplaryattached off set nozzle 2 and hose 4, spinner device 6, and rear gate12, while C) shows a conveying means 8 moving a topdressing material forcoating 7 as regulated by a rear door 12, where a schematic ofpump/compressor 10 is contemplated for attaching adjacent to tank 3,arrow points to c-clamp attaching nozzle 2, D) shows an exemplaryattached off set nozzle 2 for spraying to a topdressing 7, amountcontrolled by rear door 12, being moved by conveyor 8, and E) showing anexemplary hose 4 leading to nozzle 2 (a 95006E flat fan nozzle forspraying a liquid curtain (marked by schematic lines)) attached aboveconveying means 8 as it was spraying fungicide onto sand 7, whose amountwas controlled by gate 12, on the conveying means 8 prior to entering aspinner 6.

FIG. 9 shows an exemplary topdressing vehicle 1 for use in the presentinventions where A) shows the blender 9 and elevator unit 6 withconveying means 8 in position for use, B) shows the blender 9 andelevator unit 6 with conveying means 8, and a schematic showing anoffset nozzle 2 spraying and white spray curtain onto sand 7 being movedby conveyor 6 onto the ground because the blender unit 9 was out ofposition for use.

FIG. 10 shows an exemplary blending-type topdressing vehicle 1 with aprimary hopper 14, a secondary hopper 15, a cover 17 for hopper 15, anattached blending unit 9, and elevator unit comprising a conveying means8 for use in the present inventions, A) shows a contemplated hose 4,nozzle 2, and spray pattern as a schematic white triangle for treating ablended sand 7 with a dry AI formulation 16, such as an Andersons GRformulation, topdressing material on top of elevator conveying means 8,where the elevator and blending device are located under hopper 15, andB) showing another embodiment for attaching a sprayer unit representedby a schematic circle comprising tank 3 located in between hopper 14 and15, above blending unit 9 and elevator in position in between hopper 14and hopper 15.

FIG. 11 shows an exemplary topdressing vehicle 1 for use in the presentinventions where dispensing unit 6, such as an elevator, was not beingused and positioned away from conveying means 8 where A) shows oneembodiment of an exemplary schematic hose 4 and nozzle 2, for spraying aformulation spray pattern as a schematic white triangle onto a conveyingmeans 8, where the nozzle was located in between the outside of reardoor 12 and end of conveying means 8, and B) shows one embodiment whereelevator 6 is moved out of position which allowed the conveying means 8to drop the moist coated topdressing material 7.

FIG. 12 shows an exemplary A) even spray nozzles 2 with a correspondingschematic of a spray curtain (white triangle) to show spray coveragefrom at least one nozzle and several nozzles attached to bar 5 and B)uneven spray nozzles 2 attached with bar 5 showing a schematic of anoverlapping spray curtain (triangles).

FIG. 13 shows exemplary test turf plots of annual bluegrass fairway turfthat were naturally infected with Dollar Spot Fungi prior to testingformulations comprising Banner Maxx™ fungicide using vehicles of thepresent inventions showing comparable curative capabilities of A) aspray application of Banner Maxx™ fungicide applied using a 8002E flatfan two nozzle boom (1 fl oz/1000 sq ft), Treatment #1, B) applicationof a treated sand formulation using a vehicle of the present invention,specifically a formulation of Banner Maxx™ fungicide sprayed on sandusing two 8002E flat fan nozzles mounted on and while the sand was beingapplied by a 3′ Mete-R-Matic finishing brush drop-type top dresser (1 floz/1000 sq ft), see, FIG. 4, Treatment #2, C) bare areas of turffollowing an application of sand, no fungicide treatment, Treatment #3,and D) untreated Dollar Spot infected turf, Treatment #8, thusdemonstrating curative properties of the formulations of the presentinventions.

FIG. 14 shows exemplary test turf plots of annual bluegrass fairway turfthat were naturally infected with Dollar Spot Fungi prior to testingformulations comprising Chipco 26GT fungicide using vehicles of thepresent inventions showing comparable curative capabilities of A) aspray application of Chipco 26GT fungicide applied using a 8002E flatfan two nozzle boom (4 fl oz/1000 sq ft), Treatment #6, B) applicationof a treated sand formulation using a vehicle of the present invention,specifically a formulation of Chipco 26GT fungicide sprayed on sandusing two 8002E flat fan nozzles mounted on and while the sand was beingapplied by a 3′ Mete-R-Matic™ finishing brush drop-type top dresser (4fl oz/1000 sq ft), see, FIG. 4, Treatment #7, C) bare areas of turffollowing an application of sand, no fungicide treatment, Treatment #3,and D) untreated Dollar Spot infected turf, Treatment #8, thusdemonstrating curative properties of the formulations of the presentinventions.

FIG. 15 shows an exemplary topdressing vehicle for delivering aformulation comprising sand and a granular fungicide which demonstratedan exemplary blender/spinner type topdressing vehicle 1 in operation ongolf course delivering the blended fungicide granules and sand onto golfcourse test plots A) side view and B) rear view, arrows point to theblended composition being broadcast from the spinner.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The present inventions relate to top dressing vehicles for coating,mixing, and dispensing compositions of top dressing materials comprisingagriculturally active ingredients (A.I.s). More particularly, theseinventions relate to apparatus for spraying liquid formulationscomprising active ingredients A.I.s onto top dressing materials prior toand during delivering top dressing applications. Further, theseinventions relate to applying liquids comprising A.I.s to top dressingmaterials at a point-of-application. Even further, these inventionsrelate to delivering treated top dressing, specifically, to broadcastspreading of top dressing comprising sand and agriculturally activeingredients as moist and dry compositions.

The present inventions also generally relate to compositions and methodsfor providing agricultural chemicals comprising active ingredients(A.I.s) combined with a top dressing for application to cultivated areasof turfgrass. Further, the inventions relate to compositions and methodsfor delivering active ingredients simultaneously with a top dressingcomposition to golf course turf.

The present inventions generally relate to compositions and methods forproviding agricultural chemicals comprising active ingredients (A.I.s)combined with a top dressing for application to cultivated areas ofturfgrass. Specifically, the compositions are in the form of moistformulations for providing top dressings comprising active ingredients.Further, the inventions relate to compositions and methods fordelivering active ingredients simultaneously with a top dressingcomposition to golf course turf.

The coated top dressing materials of the present inventions arecontemplated for use in several types of applications to turfgrass forincreasing the viability of the plants and improving overall turfgrassquality.

Since the early 1900s, golf course superintendents recognized theimportance of top dressing in maintaining putting green turf. Provenbenefits of a sound top dressing program include providing a smootherputting surface, finer-textured turf, reduced grain, enhanced thatchcontrol, and similar benefits.

When a properly chosen mixture is used, top dressing can also provide aroot zone that resists compaction. A sound top dressing program usedgradually, over time, modifies a poor root zone mixture and improveswater infiltration. In most cases, optimum results may be obtained byusing top dressing sand closely adhering to United States GolfAssociation (USGA) recommendations for root zone construction, see,Tables 1 and 2. This requires that at least 60% of the particles shouldbe medium and coarse sand (0.25-1.0 mm diameter). A mixture made upmainly of medium and coarse sand will ensure that the green contains agood balance between macropores and micropores. Macropores (large porespaces) are important for providing rapid drainage following heavyrains, and micropores (small pore spaces) help to hold moisture andprevent an excessively droughty soil. The USGA recommended range for topdressing sand is 1.0-0.15 mm. The USGA has recognized for many yearsthat a medium sand fraction is the best sand fraction for top dressingsand. Water permeability rates for top dressing sands are ratesunacceptable (<15 in/hr.), low (15-20 in/hr.), good (20-40 in/hr.), andhigh (>40 in/hr.).

Another example of a frequent top dressing was sand in the 0.05 to 1.0mm range with at least 75% being fine and medium sand. Sand containingno organic matter was applied about every three weeks at a rate of threecubic feet per 1,000 square feet. About 15 applications at 1/28″ perapplication were made during the season (Particle Size of USGA Root zoneMix Cooper, et al., 2004, North Carolina Turfgrass, July/August 2004, atworld wide web.ncturfgrass.org (at world wideweb.ncturfgrass.org/pdf/july/JulyAugustPage14Link.pdf).

TABLE 1 Particle Size Distribution of a United States Golf Association(USGA) Recommended Root Zone Mix* Particle Diameter Recommendation Namemm (By Weight percentage %) Fine 2.0-3.4 ≦10% total particles in thisrange including a Gravel maximum of 3% fine gravel (preferably Very1.0-2.0 none). Coarse Sand Coarse 0.5-1.0 Minimum of 60% particles mustfall in this Sand range Medium 0.25-0.50 Sand Fine Sand 0.15-0.25 ≦20%particles within this range Very Fine 0.05-0.15  ≦5% Total particles inthis range shall not Sand exceed 10%. Silt 0.002-0.05   ≦5% Clay ≦0.002 ≦3% Total Very fine ≦10% Fines sand and silt and clay. *USGA GreenSection Staff, USGA Recommendations for a Method of Putting GreenConstruction, Revision date Mar. 1, 2004, herein incorporated byreference.

TABLE 2 Physical Properties of a USGA Recommended Root Zone Mix*Physical Property Recommended Range Total Porosity 35-55% Air-filledPorosity (at 30 cm tension) 15-30% Capillary Porosity (at 30 cm tension)15-25% Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity Minimum of 6 inches/hr (150mm/hr) *USGA Green Section Staff, USGA Recommendations for a Method ofPutting Green Construction, Revision date Mar. 1, 2004, hereinincorporated by reference.

Regular and repeated application of sand as a “top dressing” to golfcourse putting greens and tees is standard practice for increasing thequality of the playing greens and the preservation of putting quality.Sand top dressing increases playability by increasing surface firmnessand smoothness, decreasing thatch, and decreasing grain. Insufficientsand top dressing may result in excessive organic matter accumulation inthe upper soil profile. Excessive organic matter, or thatch, results ingreater pest damage, shallow rooting, poor soil air exchange, and maycause the turf to be more prone to scalping.

Plants grown in excess sand frequently exhibit nutrient deficiencies andrapidly changing nutrient levels due to the low nutrient-holdingcapacity of this medium. Sand use may also alter soil pH, for example,calcareous sands used for putting greens in the Midwest have a high pH.For example, a fungus “take-all patch,” caused by Gaeumannomycesgraminis f. sp. avenae, is favored by alkaline soils. Bent grass greensconstructed with high sand content or to USGA specifications areespecially prone this disease. Further, turf grass plants, such as bentgrass plants growing on sand mixtures, often appear more succulent andmore susceptible to brown patch and Pythium blight.

Agricultural chemicals, such as pesticides, fertilizer, plant growthregulators, wetting agents, etc, are routinely and repeatedly applied togolf course turfs as part of a normal maintenance program. Rapid grow-inof golf greens is essential for quickly generating revenue at both newlyconstructed golf courses and those undergoing renovation. This isparticularly important when using sand top dressing with their inherentdeficiencies.

Repeated applications of a sand based top dressing for increasingplayability and frequent applications of agricultural chemicals disruptsgolf course operation, increases application efforts, and itself addsphysical stress to the vegetation.

I. Overview of Problems with Current Golf Course Turf Grass MaintenancePractices.

Agricultural formulations comprising active ingredients, A.I.s,currently used for turf grass maintenance, such as fungicides,pesticides, etc., are applied as a single operation. These applicationsof A.I.s are separate operations from other types of turf operations,such as applications of topdressing. Further, these A.I.s are providedand used as either a spray or a dry formulation. Generally the dryformulations are typically more desirable to use since the A.I. isgenerally more concentrated than a comparable spray and easier to apply.However, both types of formulations have numerous limitations such asallowing A.I.s to be highly susceptible to loss of efficacy during andafter application due to numerous factors. In particular, sprayapplications render A.I.s susceptible to factors such as spray drift,runoff from wind erosion, traffic, photodegradation, precipitation orirrigation thereby loosing efficacy, especially in the soil. Dryformulations increase the incorporation of the A.I. into the soil matrixhowever efficacy is lost when the A.I. moves into surrounding areas. Dryformulations are subject to removal from point-of-application by wind,runoff from precipitation and irrigation, traffic, and the like.Moreover both types of formulations allow the A.I. to undergo furtherlosses in efficacy due to environmental factors such asphoto-degradation, volatilization, oxidation, and further meremechanical removal by operations such as mowing the turf grass plants.

The inventors contemplate that by formulating and using A.I.s asdescribed herein, specifically by adding A.I.s directly to top dressingmaterials, such as sand, prior to or simultaneously in a singleapplication, these types of looses would be significantly reduced. Suchthat formulations and methods of the present inventions are contemplatedto protect A.I.s and increase their efficacy by providing A.I.s as partof a protective layer of topdressing which provides a greater solidvolume and mass of the A.I. formulation than the usual methods of A.I.applications. Further, the formulations of the present inventions arecontemplated to allow a greater incorporation and stability of the A.I.into desired parts of the soil matrix, which should overcome many of thelimitations of current types of A.I. applications. For example,fungicides and pesticides are highly inefficient when applied directlyonto turf grass plants due to factors such as a lack of proper placementand retention of A.I. at the most opportune site of action, i.e. wherethe pests are active on the foiler surface, in the upper layers of sodand in the soil. Because the majority of pest problems in turf (e.g.fungus, weeds, pathogens, insects, etc.) originate in the soil, the soilsurface and the space immediately above represent a preferred area ofplacement for many active ingredients. It is contemplated that currentapplication methods are not capable of providing an effective amount ofan A.I. where the pathogens reside. Therefore, the capability of thesolid matrix of an A.I. coated sand layer of the present inventions toretain the A.I. within its structure seems to be one key to explain whythe inventors observed improved or equivalent efficacy with the use offormulations of the present inventions, in particular combined with newmethods of application of the present inventions when compared withconventional approaches, i.e. formulations and methods of applicationcurrently in widespread use on turf areas.

Even further, these is a need to discover greater cost effective andsimpler ways, i.e. reduced manpower, of treating turf, in particulargolf course turfgrass which is high maintenance and expensive toproperly maintain properly. Primarily, there is the cost and difficultyin hiring and retaining the skilled highly trained applicator personnelfor first determining when and how much A.I. should be applied andsecondly the process of actually handling and applying or deliveringtoxic chemicals, including many active ingredients. Additionally, anyone of the following is burdensome to personal and expensive to golfcourses, i.e. cost of machinery, cost of fuel, pollution from burningfuel, cost of other energy required for separate uses of poweredapplicator equipment, et cetera. For many turf maintenance operations,the cost of custom application of A.I.s due to outbreaks of pathogensand diseases is very burdensome to golf course managers.

Previous attempts were made by others with the goal of reducingmaintenance of turf grass areas by combining fertilizers with fungicidesin one composition that was then applied onto turf grass. As oneexample, fungicides, specifically imidazolyl structurally basedfungicides, were described as several types of combinations, such ascombinations of imidazolyls with a wetting agent, fungicides incombination with a carrier, such as water, water and silicas, andfungicides in combination with surface active agents, such asemulsifying agents, dispersing agents, and wetting agents, in U.S. Pat.No. 4,853,400, herein incorporated by reference. However, there is noindication that any of these combinations other than an imidazolyl incombination with an unnamed wetting agent that was sprayed onto anunnamed plant, were actually made and used. Another example describedcombinations of fertilizer with plant growth regulators, including aplant growth regulator that functioned as a fungicide, i.e.paclobutrazol, in a family of applications including U.S. Pat. No.4,704,160, herein incorporated by reference, and “[a]fertilizer-fungicide combination product” Lebanon Turf ProScape 14-2-14comprising PCNB (Terraclor, 1,2,3,4,5-pentachloro-6-niro-benzene) at12.5%, that provides “control of many turf damaging diseases including .. . . Dollar Spot” was described in publications posted by “HorizonFertilizers,” available online at world wide web.horizononline.com. Inyet another example, a nematicide was disclosed, specificallythiadiazole based compounds, where mixtures of the disclosed nematicidewere described with a long list of materials including granulatednon-adsorptive carriers, such as sand, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,787,herein incorporated by reference.

In even further published examples, sand was mixed with peat, as in apublication by Harford TD 1000 Top Dressing Material, available onlineat worldwide web.harfordminerals.net/topdressing.html, hereinincorporated by reference. This reference discloses the combination ofquartz with an organic (humus or sphagnum peat) and silica sand withpeat for use in top dressing applications. The authors state that thematerial meets USGA specifications as “Construction Blends” comprising“Harford Mineral's multi-washed silica sand, pre-sized to USGAspecifications and blended with humus or sphagnum peat, where topdressing is available in various proportions of sand to peat: 80/20,90/10 as well as straight sand top dressing.” and “Divot & Tee Mix—50/50Divot Mix, replace those divots with Harford's blend of 50% USGA silicasand and 50% peat. The mix is not dried and its dark color and highmoisture content enable heat to be retained for faster seedgermination.”

In contrast, a publication indicated that spraying fungicide on turfgrass plants growing in pots of sand would not protect these plants fromfungal diseases. Specifically, turfgrass plants growing in sand weresprayed with imidacloprid, as Merit 75 WP (Bayer), and fertilized, inseparate applications for successful control of curvularia fungus onKentucky bluegrass plants, but not on several other grasses, such asbent grass plants, Bermuda grass plants, nor were these treatmentssuccessful in preventing or controlling other diseases that broke out onthese plants, see PCT Publication Number WO 2006/023899/US 2007/0287720,herein incorporated by reference.

II. Compositions and Formulations of the Present Inventions.

During the course of development of the present inventions, theinventors observed that recommended frequency range (weekly to monthly)of top dressing applications is parallel to the typical applicationintervals for A.I.s, such as pesticides and fertilizers. Further, newervarieties of turf grass plants benefit from applications of 14-dayintervals of sand topdressing, which is similar to recommendedapplications of a fungicide or other chemical treatments for control ofpathogen outbreaks. Thus the inventors contemplated and providedformulations of the present inventions comprising A.I.s and topdressingfor use as part of an ongoing maintenance practice of top dressing. In apreferred embodiment, the top dressing of the present inventions wouldbe applied on 14-day intervals during the period of infestation or forpreventative maintenance. However, single applications of topdressingsof the present inventions are contemplated on an as needed basis.Further, the inventors contemplate delivering top dressings of thepresent inventions on an interval basis as needed for the particularapplication of A.I. with top dressing. This combined application of topdressings of the present inventions would remove the need for separateapplications of active ingredients. The inventors contemplate that evenfurther; the combination of operations would significantly reduce thecost of turf maintenance and improve the quality of turf grass plants.This reduction of cost is supported in part by a publication comparingthe cost of separate applications of sand and fungicide, Alexander etal. (2004) “Increasing Dollar Value for Compost Products,” BioCycle 45,48-51, herein incorporated by reference, including the separateapplications of fertilizer and fungicide for the treatment of turf.

Therefore, the inventors contemplated and tested the composition and useof a variety of types of top dressing compositions comprising a sandparticle carrier, as described herein. These formulations include moisttop dressing formulations (i.e. liquid chemical (A.I.) coated moistsand, liquid chemical (A.I.) coated dry sand, dry sand sprayed withliquid chemicals at point-of-application, in particular providing thistype of composition using topdressing vehicles of the presentinventions, liquid chemical coated sand that was subsequently driedprior to use, and the like) and dry top dressing formulations (i.e. A.I.chemicals provided within granules blended with dry sand, A.I. chemicalsprovided within granules blended with moist sand, and the like), and thelike).

In one preferred embodiment, the top dressing material is local sand formatching the soil type and composition of root zone materials. Inanother preferred embodiment, the sand used is kiln-dried sand, which isthen sprayed while on the conveying means prior to entering the drop orspinner units. In another embodiment, the sand is moist sand, which isthen sprayed while on the conveying means prior to entering the drop orspinner units. In general, the methods comprising topdressing vehiclesof the present inventions provided herein in the Examples, wereconducted with moist sand, i.e. 1/3 kiln dried sand and 2/3 moistgreenhouse sand, yielding approximately 1-10% weight per volume waterprior to application. The inventors contemplate the exemplary use of atopdressing material for blending or coating in the range of 1-10%weight per volume water prior to application.

Therefore, in one embodiment, the inventions provide a moist topdressing formulation comprising an A.I. and sand. In one embodiment, theformulation is a liquid formulation that is used to coat a sandparticle. In one embodiment, the formulation is a liquid formulationthat is used to form a solution with a sand particle. In a furtherembodiment, the inventions provide a moist topdressing formulation,which is subsequently dried prior to application. The inventorscontemplate drying compositions by air-drying, drying with an on-sitekiln, drying with a kiln located on the golf course premises, or nearthe golf course, or in the vicinity of the area of turf targeted fortopdressing applications, or any manner of drying a composition of moisttopdressing prior to application.

The inventors contemplate various types of formulations for specificapplications. In particular, embodiments comprising solutions intendedfor spray applications are contemplated. Specifically in a preferredembodiment, a spray is prepared as a liquid solution comprising anactive ingredient and a solvent. The type of solvent used to preparesolutions will depend upon the use of the formulation. For example, inagricultural applications, such as applications to turfgrass, water is apreferred solvent. In some embodiments, ethanol is used as a solvent forspraying an A.I. onto a top dressing material. In some embodiments,sprays are targeted for foliage applications. In other embodimentssprays are targeted for soil applications. In yet other embodiments,sprays are targeted for both foliage and soil.

According to the present invention an agricultural chemical is appliedto a top dressing component and preferably at least a portion of thesand component of a top dressing. The agricultural chemical optionallyis itself a liquid that coats a sand particle or other top dressingparticle. Alternatively, the agricultural chemical is part of a solutionor emulsion that coats a sand particle or other top dressing particle.The agricultural chemical optionally is a wettable powder that is usedto form a suspension with a sand particle or other top dressingparticle. In another embodiment, wettable powders which are soluble ordispersible in water may be formed by mixing the chemical in particulateform with a particulate carrier or spraying the chemical compound ontothe particulate carrier and grinding the whole powder mixture into agranule or particle. In another embodiment, the composition of awettable powder of the present inventions further comprises a wettingagent and a dispersing agent.

Further, embodiments comprising granules for blending with topdressingare also contemplated. Therefore, in another embodiment, the inventionsprovide a dry top dressing composition comprising an A.I. and sand. Inone embodiment, the formulation is a solid formulation, such as aparticle, i.e. dust, granule, and the like which is used to mix with atop dressing material such as a sand particle.

In a preferred embodiment for a dry formulation, the agriculturalchemical, A.I., is provided as a solid composition, such as a dust, orgranule, which is used to mix with a sand particle or other top dressingparticle. The present inventions further provide methods of applicationof mixed granular material, such that conventional topdresser machineswould broadcast premixed compositions. However, application of pre-mixedmaterial transported over long distances is contemplated to undergotransport settling and further, transporting large volumes of sand,especially moist sand, over long distances is expensive and timeconsuming. Therefore, in a preferred application, mixing of granularmaterials of A.I. with top dressing material would occur atpoint-of-application. Several exemplary blender-type top dressingvehicles are provided herein for use at point-of-application, howeverthese examples are not meant to limit the methods of the presentinventions. In a preferred embodiment, blending dry granule formulationswould be done using a commercially available blender, such as a Dakota440 TurfTender (Dakota Peat and Equipment, Grand Forks, N. Dak.) with anattached blending unit. This machine was designed to blend two types ofgranular materials for subsequent spreading (see, at world wideweb.dakotapeat.com/news/equipment/022508.html with a blender option, andUnited States Patent Applications Number 20060006256 and relatedportfolio, all of which are herein incorporated by reference). Inanother preferred embodiment, a combination blender/topdresser machineis contemplated to be particularly well suited for blending anddelivering compositions of the present inventions at point-ofapplication. In particular, a machine combination blender/topdressermachine takes the separate top dressing feedstock components and mixesthe components as the mixture is broadcast distributed, for example, aDakota 440 TurfTender (Dakota Peat and Equipment, Grand Forks, N. Dak.)with an attached blending unit.

A second exemplary machine is a TURFCO blender (see, at world wideweb.turfco.com/html/osforsptd.htm, herein incorporated by reference). Inthese embodiments, distribution in concert with mixing has the addedadvantage of precluding transport settling and eliminates the need totransport large volumes of heavy material of relatively low value to theturf site. The advantages gained over current practices would include adistribution of top dressing and A.I.s with a high degree of uniformity.

A. Active Ingredients for Use in Formulations of the Present Inventions.

The inventors contemplate a range of active ingredients for including incompositions of the present inventions for delivering as a singleapplication as part of routine turf grass management. In particular aspart of routine top dressing applications for reducing personal time andcost of managing turf, such as found on golf courses, playing fields,and the like.

Exemplary compositions comprise top dressing materials in combinationwith at least one A.I. for application to turf grass. In furtherexemplary methods, mixing, blending or spraying is used for combiningtop dressing with an A.I. In even further embodiments, methodscomprising mixing, blending and spraying include the use of top dressingvehicles of the present inventions. In yet further embodiments,application of compositions of the present inventions include the use oftop dressing vehicles of the present inventions.

In a preferred embodiment, the topdressing/A.I. composition comprises afungicide. In other embodiments, the topdressing/A.I. compositionfurther comprises a fertilizer. In another embodiment, thetopdressing/A.I. composition further comprise a plant growth regulator(PGR), which is often applied to highly managed, cool-season turfgrasses every few weeks throughout the growing season to reduce clippingproduction, increase sward density, reduce seed head formation andenhance sward color (Lickfeldt et al., 2001, Agron J. 93:1164-1168,herein incorporated by reference). In other embodiments, thetopdressing/A.I. composition further comprise an active ingredient asdescribed herein as exemplary compounds however the inventors do notintend for these examples to limit the types of A.I.s that would finduse in compositions and methods of the present inventions. Indeed, asthe field of agricultural chemicals advances, numerous types of A.I.sare continually being developed and used. Therefore the inventorscontemplate including and using future chemicals as they are availablefor use in the compositions of the present inventions.

In general, exemplary fungicides for use in compositions of the presentinventions include phenylamides, morpholines, phosphorothiolates,orathiins, hydropyrimidines, Anilinopyrimidines, N-Phenyl Carbamates,Melanin Biosynthesis Inhibitors, Hydroxyanalides, Phenylureas,Benzimides, Phosphonates, and any type of plant host defenseinducer/activator that would protect a turf grass plant from infectionsand death. For example, an exemplary plant defense activator isacibenzolar-5-methyl (ASM, Actigard, Syngenta Corp., Basel,Switzerland). Acibenzolar-5-methyl is reported to induce systemicacquired resistance in plants and has been shown to have antifungal,antibacterial, and antiviral activity (Cole, 1999. Crop Prot.18:267-273, herein incorporated by reference). This chemical has noknown direct antifungal properties (Lawton, et al., 1996. Plant J.10:71-82 in office, herein incorporated by reference). However, when ASMwas applied to bent grass, the number of S. homoeocarpa infectioncenters in a blend of Cato:Crenshaw (50:50) was reduced by 38%; however,disease pressure was high, and turf quality was unacceptable throughmuch of the study period (Lee, et al., NHortScience). Lee, et al., PlantManagement Network. Published 26 Jun. 2003. http://at worldwideweb.plantmanagementnetwork.org/pub/php/research/2003/dollar/, hereinincorporated by reference.

The inventors contemplate formulations comprising sand with an activecompound, such as fungicides listed herein, and further for example,those fungicides described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,400, hereinincorporated by reference, benzoyl phenyl urea derivatives havinginsecticidal activities, for example, those described in U.S. Pat. No.4,013,717, herein incorporated by reference), nematicidal compositions,for example, those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,787, hereinincorporated by reference, and herbicides comprisingbenzoylcyclohexanediones and safeners, for example, those described inU.S. Pat. No. 7,101,827, herein incorporated by reference), and4-trifluoromethylpyrazolyl-substituted pyridines and pyrimidines, forexample, those described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,211,673, herein incorporatedby reference.

Additional representative fungicidal active ingredients andrepresentative microbiocidal active agents, for treating and preventingpathogen infections and infestations are provided. These chemicals andchemical classes are provided to illustratively include plant andgeneral disease control agents including but not limited to fungicides,fungistats, antibiotics and bacteriocides of the following chemicalfamilies and functional groupings; imidazole heterocyclic derivative,triazole heterocyclic derivative, demethylation inhibitor (DMI),strobilurins, triadimefon, trifloxystrobin, propiconazole, azoxystrobin,various acetamides; sterol inhibitors or demethylase inhibitors;dicarboximides (such as iprodione); phthalides; phthalmic acids;triadiazoles; isophthalates; triazines; triconazoles; strobilurins;Stobin (e.g., azoxystrobin, dimoxystrobin, fluoxastrobin,kresoxim-methyl, metominostrobin, orysastrobin, picoxystrobin,pyraclostrobin, trifloxystrobin, etc.); benzimidazoles; benzithiazoles;dithiocarbamates, such as polymeric dithiocarbamate fungicide ismancopper, mancozeb, maneb, metiram, polycarbamate, propineb, zineb,etc.; carboxamides; carboxides; anilides, such as phenylanilide,benalaxyl, benalaxyl-M, boscalid, furalaxyl, metalaxyl, metalaxyl-M,etc.; chlorphenyls; indolecarboxylic acids; isoxazoles; imidazoles;oxazolinediones; guanidines; diguanidines; piperidines; pyridines;sulfenamides; sulfonamides; quinolines; cyanoimidazoles; pyrazoles;pyrrolecarbonitriles; spiroketalamines; thiazoles; various chemicalfamilies of oomycete (pythium) fungicides; nitriles; chlorinatedhydrocarbons; phenylpyrroles; polyoxins; pyridazinones; mycotoxins (e.g.penicillin) or other antibiotics (e.g. streptomycin, kasugamycin,blasticidin, polyoxins, validamycin, mildiomycin, and oxytetracyline);morpholines; other organic compounds such as piperalin, piperazinederivatives and tolylfluanid, bronopol, organic compound mixtures (e.g.bacticin and harpin protein), organic acids such as trinexapac ethyl,cinnamic acid and its derivatives, bacteria such as Agrobacteriumradiobacter, Bacillus, Erwinia carotovora, Pseudomonas flourescens andP. chlorophis, and any varieties or strains thereof, fungi such asCandida oleophila, Fusarium, Tricoderma, Gliocladium, Polyversum,Streptomyces, and Ampelomyces and any species, varieties or strainsthereof, and viruses such as tomovax.

The inventors further contemplate preferred embodiments using anherbicide as an A.I. for reducing weeds. For purposes of this invention,herbicide active agents illustratively include but not limited todintroanilines such as benefin, trifluralin, pendimethalin, andprodiamine, oxadiazoles such as oxadiazon, triazines such as atrazineand simazine, triazolinones such as carfentrazone and sulfentrazone,Aryloxyphenoxy propionates, Arylaminopropionic acid, Cineole (such ascinmethylin), Cyclohexanediones, Sulfonylureas such as trifloxysulfuronand metsulfuron-methyl, Imidazolinones, Pyrimidinylthio-benzoate,Triazolopyrimidine, Pyridazine, Phenoxys (or Phenoxies), Benzoic acids,Carboxylic acids (such as DCPA, clopyralid, trichloroacetic acid, andfluoroxypyr), Quinoline carboxylic acid, Semicarbazone, Triazinones,Uracils, Pyridazinone, Phenyl-carbamates, Nitriles, Benzothiadiazoles,Organoarsenicals, Phenyl-pyridazine, Triketones such as mesotrione,Ureas and substituted ureas (such as diuron, linuron, siduron,tebuthiuron, dymron etc.), Amide (such as propanil and bromobutide),Thiocarbamates, Pyrazolium (such as difenzoquat), Phosphoric acidcompounds (such as glufosinate-ammonium and glyphosate), Triazole,Pyridazinone, Nicotinanilide, Pyridinone (such as fluridone),Isoxazolidinone, Diphenylethers, N-phenylphthalimides, Oxadiazole,Triazolinone, Chloroacetamides, Oxyacetamides, Phthalamate, PhthalamateSemicarbazone, Nitrile, N-phenylphthalimides, Oxadiazole, Triazolinone,Acetamides, Benzoylisoxazole, Isoxazole, Pyrazole, Pyrazolium,Triketone, and Benzofuran, various ALS inhibitors, and plant extractherbicides such as the allelopathic exudates of various plants.

For purposes of this invention, insecticides include but are not limitedto pyrethroids such as bifenthrin, permethrin, deltamethrin, lambdacyhalothrin, cyfluthrin, or betacyfluthrin; organophosphates such aschlorpyrifos; limonoids such as azadirachtin or meliartenin; phenylpyrazoles or oxadiazines such as indoxacarb; phthalic acid diamides suchas flubendiamide and anthranilic diamides, carbamates such as carbaryl(1-naphthyl N-methylcarbamate), neonicotinoids or nitroguanidines suchimidacloprid, thiomethoxam, clothianidin or dinotefuran;diacylhydrazines such as halofenozide; neonicotines such as floconamid;organophosphates such as trichlorfon and pyrazoles such as fipronil. Itis appreciated that multiple active pesticide agents are readilyformulated within a pesticide powder operative herein.

The inventors further contemplate compositions of the present inventionscomprising a nematicide, for examples, substituted2-mercapto-5-furyl-1,3,4-oxadiazoles, substituted2-mercapto-5-furyl-1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives,2-mercapto-5-thienyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives,2-mercapto-5-thienyl-1,3,4-thadiazole derivatives and the like.

The inventors further contemplate compositions of the present inventionscomprising a fertilizer. There are numerous types of fertilizers thatwould find use in the present inventions, including but not limited toslow release, soluble, and water insoluble formulations, and syntheticfertilizers.

1. Concentrations of A.I.s in Formulations of the Present Inventions.

It is appreciated that the amount of top dressing applied, as well asthe component mixture of conventional top dressing varies with factorsillustratively including soil drainage, root zone water holdingcapacity, water percolation rate, air circulation ability, pore space,compaction, pH level, thatch, black layer, or hydrophobia. In addition,A.I.s formulated in high concentrate granules for some treatments wouldremain at too high of a concentration even after blending with a topdressing material.

As a result, the inventors contemplate providing a “pre-blend” for usein the present inventions for providing even greater flexibility andeconomy for making and using the present inventions. In one embodiment,the pre-blend mixture would allow an intermediate mix for lowing theconcentration of A.I. prior to the mixing with a top dressing materialat a point-of-application.

Therefore, in one embodiment, the inventors contemplate making a“pre-blend” or “pre-blended top dressing material” for use as aconcentrated form of an A.I. prior to subsequent spraying or furtherblending of mixtures of the present inventions. For example, a first topdressing component is added to or blended with a concentratedformulation of an active ingredient such that the pre-blend is at ahigher volume or weight than the original granules and at a lower weightor volume than the intended final mixture for delivering onto an area ofturf. Therefore in one embodiment, the first top dressing component iscontemplated as a light weight or adsorbent material, such as groundcorncobs, peanut hulls, coconut fibers, vermiculite, and the like. Inother embodiments, the top dressing component is sand, peat, soil, andthe like. In a preferred embodiment, the pre-blend concentrate is dry.

As an example, the inventors contemplate a recommended range of usingpre-blended sand topdressing amounts, in rates ranging from 0.025 cubicyd./1000 sq. ft./14 days between treatments on quality greens (withminimal thatch) to 0.2 cubic yd./1000 sq. ft./14 days for lower qualitygreens, such as bermudagrass greens with heavy thatch (Beard, J. B.1982. Turf Management for Golf Courses p. 144, Burgess Publishing Co,Minneapolis; Beard, J. B. (and The United States Golf Association) 2002.Turf Management for Golf Courses, second Ed, Ann Arbor Press. p. 159 andTable 3.1, Ann Arbor Press, Chelsea, Mich., herein incorporated byreference). However, for last top dressing treatments of the season innorthern regions, even higher sand rates are sometimes used to helpprotect the turf crowns from desiccation, low temperature kill, etc.,during the winter. Therefore, the inventors further contemplate anamount of A.I. in granular product used in a pre-blend to range from46%, to 50% or higher for the final pre-blend amount.

However it would depend upon the type of A.I., for example, in the caseof a product such as a urea fertilizer or a very efficacious granularsystemic fungicide like Andersons Compass G then the amount iscontemplate to be 0.157%, or less of the pre-blend.

The inventors further contemplate using the pre-blend at apoint-of-application by mixing the pre-blend concentrate with varyingamounts of top dressing components or varied types top dress materialsto customize a treatment to serve as both a top dressing function aswell as to simultaneously delivery an agricultural chemical. By way ofone example, a 50 pound bag of sand having individual sand particlescoated with a fungicide, is contemplated for loading into the smallhopper 15, of a Dakota Top dresser comprising a Blender unit 9, alongwith a pre-blend of 1500 pounds sand, 300 pounds of loam, and 200 poundsof peat loaded into the primary hopper 14, see, FIG. 10. The fungicideformulation would be simultaneously blended into the pre-blend mixtureto form a composition of the present inventions as it is applied to turfin a preselected amount per unit are of turf, in a quantity sufficientto improve turf quality through top dress and to apply the fungicide ata preselected amount per unit area of turf for controlling or preventiona fungal infection of the turfgrass plants, see, FIG. 15 for example.

Contemplated ranges of A.I.:top dressing (sand) ratios for compositionsof the present inventions. Depending on the type of chemical (fungicide,herbicide, insecticide, plant growth regulators, etc.) being applied tosand, the A.I. can range from 0.01 oz/1000 sq. ft. to 8-oz/1000 sq. ft.or more. Some fertilizers, soil wetting agents and conditioners, etc.,would generally be applied at even higher A.I. rates, measured in poundsof A.I./1000 sq. feet. Thus the inventors contemplated an attribute ofthe inventive compositions of the present inventions where turftreatment of a liquid agricultural chemical component would be at alower amount of the total weight percentage of the composition thanconventional spray distribution compositions or solid applications forthat agricultural chemical.

Concentrations of fertilizers would depend upon the type of fertilizerand application goal. In general, the inventors contemplate usingfertilizer concentrations comprising amounts of nitrogen ranging from ahalf pound per thousand square feet to two pounds per thousand squarefeet. Such fertilizers include nitrogen:oxygen:phosphorous (N—O—K)ratios as described herein in the examples, and further exemplified byratios such as 36-6-6, 18-3-12, 13-12-0, 18-4-12, 3-1-12, and the like,in general ranging as nitrogen:oxygen:phosphorous ratios of36-18:6-3:6-12. In particular, as new varieties of turf grass plants arebeing developed, and as older varieties adapt to various growingconditions, the inventors recognize that fertilizer requirements arelikely to also change. Thus any concentration of fertilizer that wouldsupport and further encourage growth of turf grass plants iscontemplated to find use in compositions of the present inventions.

As further exemplary descriptions, active ingredients as provided hereincomprising herbicidal, pesticidal, nematicidal, insecticidal, etc.activity typically would be present from 0.01 to 0.4 total weightpercent of an inventive top dressing composition; a synthetic fertilizeragricultural chemical would typically present from 0.05 to 2 totalweight percent of an inventive top dressing composition; and a growthregulator would typically represent from 0.0001 to 0.05 total weightpercent of an inventive top dressing composition. These amounts aresignificantly lower than currently applied sprays and granules. Theselow concentrations of active ingredients in an inventive compositionrelative to conventional applications are further contemplated toprevent turf injury from concentrated chemicals due to misapplication orspills. While the mechanism of action is not fully understood, theproperties of top dressing also promote efficient usage of theagricultural chemical and allow for less overall usage of theagricultural chemical to achieve a desired result.

However certain applications require higher concentrations of A.I. foreffective applications. Therefore, when higher levels of A.I. arerequired for effective treatments of turf, the inventors contemplate apreferred embodiment of a dry formulation comprising blends of A.I.granules and topdressing, i.e. sand. Thus in additional embodiments,A.I.s would be applied to sand in amounts ranging from 0.025 cubicyard/1000 sq. ft. to 1 cubic yard/1000 sq. foot. Alternatively, theinventors contemplate using concentrated spray solutions for achievingsimilar results. For any contemplated concentration of A.I. treatment,the final concentration used will depend upon the interval betweenapplications, and the type of grass being top dressed, and the like.Thus for higher concentrations of A.I., in one preferred embodiment, aconcentrate of the agricultural chemical mixed with at least one topdressing component is provided that has the agricultural chemicalpresent from 10 to 300 times that of a broadcast applicationconcentration of the agricultural chemical alone. More preferably, theagricultural chemical is applied to a single top dressing component or acombination of components that at density matched to within 30% so as tolessen settling that would necessitate added mixing time upon additionto a larger volume of top dressing material. Most preferably, anagricultural chemical is applied to a volume of sand that is thenintermixed with a larger volume of conventional top dressing sand andoptional loam and peat see examples described herein.

2. Types of Formulations and Components.

The inventors further contemplate embodiments comprising a variety oftypes of formulations for use in compositions of the present inventions.In one embodiment, the formulation is a solution, such as a sprayprepared as a solution comprising an agricultural chemical and asolvent. The type of solvent used to prepare solutions will depend uponthe use of the composition. For example, agricultural applications, suchas applications to turfgrass, would use water as a solvent. However inone embodiment In one embodiment, the formulation is a wettable powderformulation that is used to form a suspension with a sand particle. A“wettable powder” or “WP” in general refers to a dry chemicalformulation that does not dissolve in water but remains suspended in it.A wettable powder may also be referred to as a flowable, for example, aflowable powder, such as Cypermethrin products (Demon WP, Cynoff WP).When a wettable powder is mixed with water or other liquids, asuspension spray is formed. Wettable powders in general extend theefficacy period of the active ingredient. In some embodiments, a liquidflowable (LF) contains insoluble, finely ground solid active ingredientsmixed with a liquid (and inert ingredient) to form a suspension. In someembodiments, a dry flowable (DF) active ingredient is prepared as dry,granular-sized A.I. particles such that when the granules are mixed withwater, the granules break into fine particles and form a suspension forapplication, such that advantages of using DFs include easier to measureand mix than wettable powders with less inhalation hazard to mixers

Furthermore in some embodiments, “WSP” or “water soluble pouches” forexample, MERIT®SOLUPAK® INSECTICIDE, Solupak 50% Wettable Powder inWater Soluble Packets, and the like, are contemplated for use in coatingand spraying topdressing formulations of the present inventions.Water-soluble pouches in general contain an A.I. formulation in apre-measured amount that when water comes into contact with the pouch,the pouch material dissolves and releases the pre-measured A.I.formulation.

Thus in another embodiment, the formulation is an emulsifiableconcentrate for coating or mixing with a sand particle. Thesecompositions are prepared by dissolving the agricultural chemical and anemulsifying agent in a solvent, such that solvents may be inorganic ororganic. Inorganic solvents are usually not soluble in water; therefore,an emulsifier may be used so that the three or more chemicals willproduce an emulsion spray when mixed with water.

In some embodiments, the inventors contemplate the use ofmicroencapsulated concentrates in compositions of the presentinventions. For example, microencapsulated pesticide or fungicideparticles comprising an active ingredient (liquid or dry) would besurrounded in a plastic coating for mixing with water or ethanol andapplied as spray or liquid for coating a sand particle or mixing with atopdressing material. The encapsulated A.I. would be released, quicklyor slowly depending upon the type of encapsulation, followingapplication. Advantages of using microencapsulated A.I.s would be tofurther increase safety to the human applicator, easy to mix, handle andapply; controlled release of active ingredient.

In some embodiments, the inventors contemplate the use of dusts in thecompositions of the present inventions as ready-to-use dry formulationsthat contains a low percentage of the active ingredient plus a dry,inert carrier (talc, chalk, clay, ash, etc.). Advantages of using dustsinclude low concentrations of toxic A.I. amounts, usually ranging from0.12 to 20% of weight within a diluent. Diluents or dust carriers aretypically talcs, clays or diatomaceous earth. Sometimes wheat flour orpowdered nut hulls are used as diluents for special purposes.

In another embodiment, the formulation is a granular composition (GR).In some embodiments, the inventors contemplate the use of granule orpellet ready-to-use dry formulations of A.I.s in the compositions of thepresent inventions. In general, pellets are larger and more uniform inshape than granules. Granular compositions in general are primarily soiltreatments and may be applied either directly to the soil or overplants. When applied over plants, tend granules fall through the foliageto the soil. Some granules are applied to water either directly or overfoliage. Since the granules do not adhere to the foliage of most plants,phytotoxicity and residue problems are reduced. However new types ofgranular compositions are contemplated comprising foliage efficientconcentrations for sticking to foliage and delivering an A.I. prior towhen the granule falls onto the soil. Since granules are typicallyprepared in advance prior to application, the active ingredient as asmaller granule, i.e. dust and the like, is contemplate to be attachedto a carrier by spraying the granules onto the carrier, i.e. sand, andthen drying the composition, binding the granule to the carrier with abinding or adhesive material, and the like. In treating granules with anactive ingredient, a rotating drum-type blender may be used.

B. Additional Compounds for Use in Formulations of the PresentInventions.

For purposes of this invention, further exemplary embodiments ofcompositions of the present inventions comprising additional protectantsand beneficial ingredients including but not limited to attractants,baits, herbicide safeners, antidessicants, antitranspirants, frostprevention aids, inoculants, dyes, brighteners, markers, synergists,pigments, UV protectants, antioxidants, leaf polish, pigmentationstimulants and inhibitors, surfactants, moisture retention aids,molluscicides (e.g., slugs and snails), nematicides, rodenticides,defoliants, desiccants, sticky traps, and IPM (integrated pestmanagement) lures. In some embodiments, multiple active agents arereadily formulated within a given formulation, for example, multipleactive agents may include two or more of any of the following,fungicides, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and any type of activeingredient or class of active ingredient, present and future.

The inventors also contemplate compositions of the present inventionscomprising, pesticides including animal and bird repellants,attractants, baits, herbicide safeners, antidessicants,antitranspirants, frost prevention aids, inoculants, dyes, brighteners,markers, synergists, pigments, UV protectants, antioxidants, leafpolish, pigmentation stimulants and inhibitors, surfactants, moistureretention aids, humic acids and humates, lignins and lignates, bitterflavors, irritants, and malodorous ingredients, molluscicides (e.g.,slugs and snails), nematicides, rodenticides, defoliants, desiccants,sticky traps, and IPM lures, chemosterilants, plant defense boosters(harpin protein and chitosan) desiccants (may also be used as a harvestaid), and other beneficial or detrimental agents applied to plant orother surfaces. Additional exemplary active ingredients includephosphites, and related plant stress reduction compounds andbiostimulants, many of which are absorbed through foliage of grassplants.

The inventors further contemplate compositions of the present inventionscomprising active ingredients such as dew control compounds for reducingthe amount of moisture on foliage. Reducing the moisture on foliageshould also reduce fungal growth and reduce other types of pathogens.The use of dew control compounds include surfactants comprisingmonoethanolaminedodecylbenzene sulfonate andnonylphenoxypoly-(Ethyleneoxy) ethanol, siloxane copolymer, etc.compositions of the present inventions comprising active fertilizers, asdescribed herein and in the Examples.

The inventors also contemplate compositions comprising sand and plantgrowth regulators (PGRs), which are often applied to highly managed,cool-season turfgrasses every few weeks throughout the growing season toreduce clipping production, increase sward density, reduce seed headformation and enhance sward color (Lickfeldt et al., 2001, Agron J.93:1164-1168, herein incorporated by reference). In additionalembodiments, the inventors contemplate compositions of the presentinventions further comprising plant growth regulators such astrinexepac-ethyl, maleic hydrazide, gibberellic acid, gibberellins,cytokinins, benzyladenine, glycines, quinolenes, phosphoric acidcompounds, organic carbamates, quaternary ammonium compounds,acetamides, ethychlozate, azoles, paclobutrazol, anilides, pyradazidine,pyrimidines, napthaleneacetamide, phthalmides, phenoxies, pyrimidines,hybridizing agent, biostimulants, seaweed extracts and herbicides(typically at low use rates), phthalmides, phenoxies, and organic orcarboxylic acids (e.g. gamma amino butyric acid and L-glutamic acid,naphthalene acetic acid, clofencoet, sintofen, nicotinic acids).

In additional embodiments, the inventors contemplate compositions of thepresent inventions further comprising mulches. Mulches in general arelayered on to the soil surface to suppress weeds, conserve moisture,improve its visual appearance and minimize erosion. Alternative mulchesinclude organic materials such as animal manure, compost, leaf mould,bark chippings, shredded prunings, and compost. Additionally, theinventors contemplate using a “peat alternative” in addition to or toreplace mulch, for example, cocoa-shell, and the crushed shells of cocoabeans (Theobroma cacao) that are a by-product of the chocolate industry.Inorganic mulches contemplated for use include but are not limited topebbles, sand, gravel, blanket mulches, polythene sheets, carpet,newspapers and even cardboard.

In additional embodiments, the inventors contemplate compositions of thepresent inventions further comprising compost. The inventors furthercontemplate the use of soir as an alternative to peat or in combinationwith peat.

Areas of turf lacking live plants or comprising dying plants may havehydrophobic soil where additional benefits of delivering compositions ofthe present inventions including wetting agents. For example, localizeddry spots or patches formed by dollar spot fungal infections in turf arelikely to become a serious turf management problem during the summermonths, especially during periods of drought. Despite frequentirrigation, the soil in these spots resists wetting, resulting in evenlarger patches of dead or severely wilted turf. The applied water wetsthe dying and dead turf but does not adequately penetrate the soilsurface to reach the root zone. So, although soils in general absorbwater, certain soils may be or are water repellent; a soil wetting agentwould be added to the spray solution. Certain soils, in particular sandysoils, soils high in organic matter and potting mixes are the mostlikely to become hydrophobic resulting in excluding the liquid A.I. fromentering the soil. When these types of soils are watered, such as with asprinkler or hose, the water merely rolls off and is poorly absorbedwhere it is needed. Exemplary soil wetting agents are design to overcomewater repellence for allowing the A.I. to enter the soil. Soil wettingagents are granular products and liquid products. Granular products tendto be easier to use than liquid products, especially in greenhousesbecause they can be readily incorporated into potting mixes. Withgranular products, the soil wetting agent is incorporated into granulesof either clay or organic material such as coir. The wetting agent isthen leached out gradually whenever the granules are watered or when itrains. Soil wetters help to overcome the effects of waxy organiccoatings on the surface of the soil and the surface of organic matter soallowing the water to penetrate and be absorbed. Thus the inventorsfurther contemplate preferred embodiments comprising a wetting agent.For purposes of this invention, soil wetting agents (including waterabsorbents) include ionic and nonionic surfactants. Active ingredientsinclude alkoxylated polyols, poloxalene, 2 butoxyethanol, gleucoethers,propoxylated polyethylene glycols, polyoxyethylene ester of cyclic acid,polyoxyethylene ether of alkylated phenols, tri-ethanolaminedodecylbenzene sulfonate, C9-C10-C11 alcohol 6 EO ethoxylate, acrylamidepotassium acrylate copolymer, polydimethylsiloxane, kelp extract,dehydrooxyrane, epihydrin, polyhydroxyethyl alkoxy alkene oxides,propylene oxide, ethylene oxide, et cetera.

In additional embodiments, the inventors contemplate compositions of thepresent inventions further comprising gypsum and the use of“clay-breaking” products that affect the chemical composition of thesoil so that particles clump together and create pore spaces throughwhich water and air can move. These substances may be added individuallyor together.

In additional embodiments, the inventors contemplate compositions of thepresent inventions further comprising extenders, that is, liquidsolvents, liquefied gases under pressure, and/or solid carriers,optionally with the use of surface-active agents, that is emulsifyingagents and/or dispersing agents, and/or foam-forming agents. When usingwater as an extender, organic solvents can, for example, also be used asauxiliary solvents. Suitable liquid solvents include aromatics, such asxylene, toluene, or alkylnaphthalenes, chlorinated aromatics orchlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as chlorobenzenes,chloroethylenes, or methylene chloride, aliphatic hydro carbons, such ascyclohexane or paraffins, for example, mineral oil fractions, alcohols,such as butanol or glycol as well as their ethers and esters, ketones,such as acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, orcyclohexanone, strongly polar solvents, such as dimethylformamide anddimethyl sulfoxide, as well as water. Suitable liquefied gaseousextenders or carriers include liquids that are gaseous at ambienttemperature and under atmospheric pressure, for example, aerosolpropellants, such as halogenated hydrocarbons, as well as butane,propane, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide. Suitable solid carriers forextenders include ground natural minerals, such as kaolins, clays, talc,chalk, quartz, attapulgite, montmorillonite, or diatomaceous earth, andground synthetic minerals, such as highly disperse silica, alumina andsilicates. Suitable solid carriers for granules include crushed andfractionated natural rocks such as calcite, marble, pumice, sepiolite,and dolomite, as well as synthetic granules of inorganic and organicmeals, and granules of organic material such as sawdust, coconut shells,maize cobs, and tobacco stalks. Suitable emulsifying and/or foam-formingagents include non-ionic and anionic emulsifiers, such aspolyoxy-ethylene fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene fatty alcoholethers, for example alkylaryl polyglycol ethers, alkylsulfonates, alkylsulfates, arylsulfonates, as well as albumen hydrolysis products.Suitable dispersing agents include lignin-sulfite waste liquors andmethylcellulose.

The inventors further contemplate compositions of the present inventionscomprising

In general adhesives contemplated for use in the present inventionsrefer to such compounds a carboxymethylcellulose and natural andsynthetic polymers in the form of powders, granules or latices, such asgum arabic, polyvinyl alcohol, and polyvinyl acetate, as well as naturalphospholipids, such as cephalins and lecithins, and syntheticphospholipids, can be used in the formulations.

In additional embodiments, the inventors contemplate compositions of thepresent inventions further comprising mineral oils and vegetable oils.

The inventors further contemplate compositions of the present inventionscomprising synthetic acids including acid substances used to improvesoil structure and flush bicarbonates and salts from the root zone.

The inventors further contemplate compositions of the present inventionscomprising thatch reducers. Examples of thatch reducers includecombinations of sea plant extracts, meals, microorganisms, etc., thatpurport to reduce thatch without cultivation.

In additional embodiments, the inventors contemplate compositions of thepresent inventions further comprising colorants such as inorganicpigments, such as iron oxide, titanium oxide, and Prussian Blue, andorganic dyestuffs, such as alizarin dyestuffs and azo dyestuffs, andtrace nutrients, such as salts of iron, manganese, boron, copper,cobalt, molybdenum, and zinc.

C. Turfgrass Plant Cultivars and Pathogens.

The inventors contemplate the use of compositions and topdressingvehicles of the present inventions for use with any type of turfgrassplant and areas of turf. In particular, the compositions of the presentinventions may be applied to turfgrass plants such as Bermuda grass,creeping bent grass, perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, fine-leaf fescue,zoysia grass, et cetera. These turf grass plants include warm seasongrasses and cool season grass plants. These examples are not meant tolimit the type of grass plant that would benefit from the formulationsof the present inventions. Exemplary species and cultivars of turfgrassplants include but are not limited to Kentucky bluegrass, exemplarycultivars Adelphi, Bono, Enmundi, Midnight, Rugby, Admiral, Bristol,Estate, Mona, Sydsport, America, Brunswick, Freedom, Monopoly,Touchdown, Argyle, Challenger, Georgetown, Mystic, Trenton, Aspen,Cheri, Glade, Nassau, Victa, Banff, Columbia, Holiday, Nugget, Welcome,Barblue, Coventry, Majestic, Parade, Baron, Dormie, Merion, Plush,Bensun (A-34), Eclipse, Merit, Ram I, creeping bentgrass, exemplarycultivars CBentgrass, Mackenzie, Declaration, Authority, Shark, 007,Independence, Tyee, 13-M, Benchmark DSR, Bengal, zoysiagrass, exemplarycultivar Meyer, et cetera.

Further, areas of application include but are not limited to fairways,tees, putting greens, athletic fields, and lawns.

The inventors contemplate making and using compositions of the presentinventions for preventing, reducing and eliminating pathogeninfestations, including fungal infections, insect infestations,microbial infections, in addition to eliminating weeds and any type oftreatment for improving the health of a turfgrass plant and use of anarea of turf, such as increasing the playability of golf course turftreated with compositions and methods of the present inventions.Therefore, the inventors further contemplate preferred embodimentsmaking and using compositions of the present inventions for reducing andeliminating dollar spot fungal infections of turf grass plants.

The inventors contemplate delivering compositions of the presentinventions as preventative and curative means of managing areas of turf.The inventors contemplate delivering compositions of the presentinventions as preventive treatments, for example the first applicationof top dressing in the spring, after long periods of rain, and the like.In particular delivering such compositions as curative treatments alongwith regular top dressing applications when turf grass managers observesigns of fungal infections, such as drying, dying, moldy, browning,graying areas of turf, or dark spots on turf foliage, and the like.

The fungus, Magnaporthe poae, causes summer patch disease. The diseasebegins as scattered light green patches 5 to 10 cm in diameter. Thesepatches may grow as large as 1 meter in diameter as rings and circularpatches of dead or dying turfgrass that turn dull-tan to reddish-brown,or yellow or tan areas up to 1 foot in diameter, consisting of dead anddying plants. The most diagnostic of these larger patches in turf mayexhibit a “frog-eye” pattern. Distinct streaks, crescents, and circularpatterns are found in the affected turf area. Roots, crowns, and stolonsare affected by a dark brown rot. Young roots may appear healthy,although dark brown hyphae may be present on these tissues. Vasculardiscoloration and cortical rot occur in later stages of the disease. Thefungus can survive as mycelia in plant debris or in host tissue. Thisdisease was reported infecting red fescue, Chewing's fescue, hardfescue, perennial ryegrass, and creeping bent grass, but appears to bemost destructive to annual bluegrass and Kentucky bluegrass plants.Therefore, the inventors further contemplate preferred embodimentsmaking and using compositions of the present inventions for reducing andeliminating summer patch fungal infections of turf grass plants.

In even further embodiments, the inventors contemplate preferredembodiments comprising making and using compositions of the presentinventions for reducing and eliminating snow mold diseases. Snow molddiseases, including grey and pink-crusted areas of grass in which theblades are dead, bleached and matted together. These crusted areas rangefrom several inches to several feet across.

The inventors further contemplate preferred embodiments comprisingfungicides for controlling and removing additional fungal infectionsincluding but not limited to Fusarium species, Leptosphaeria korrae, andNecrotic Ring Spot.

The inventors further contemplate preferred embodiments using anherbicide as an A.I. for reducing weeds. The inventors furthercontemplate preferred embodiments comprising a wetting agent.

The inventors contemplate that top dressing compositions of the presentinventions contains distribution of the agricultural chemical throughoutthe top dressing. While it is appreciated that an agricultural chemicalis optionally added to a large quantity of conventional top dressing andwith sufficient mixing or agitation a homogenous distribution of theagricultural chemical through the top dressing occurs, preparation of aquantity of inventive composition needed to treat an area of severalacres with conventional mixing equipment is both time consuming and ofquestionable quality. Owing to the different density of sand and theoptional top dressing components of loam and/or peat, segregation andcompositional sieving can occur during transport of an inventive topdressing prior to broadcast distribution. Additionally, handling ofconcentrated quantities of agricultural chemical often requires specialskills and safety equipment. Therefore, the inventors furthercontemplate topdressing vehicles of the present inventions for use indelivering the formulations of the present inventions, as describedherein.

III. Top Dressing Vehicles of the Present Inventions.

Specifically, the inventors contemplate “best mode” apparatuses as topdressing vehicles for delivering compositions and formulations of thepresent inventions, in particular a formulation comprising an A.I. and atop dressing material. In particular, the inventors contemplate a topdressing vehicle of the present inventions that combines a sand topdressing operation and a chemical application operation normallypracticed on golf courses into one procedure.

The application of any active ingredient, such as a fungicide, to anarea of land with conventional spray equipment is prone to numerousproblems. For example, the application of pesticides with conventionalspray equipment for liquid applications is prone to numerous types ofenvironmental problems due to spills, which contaminate land and groundwater, particularly near wellheads where water is drawn for human andanimal consumption, and used for dilution of tank mixes for a variety ofchemical applications. In particular, when spraying liquids, liquidsform aerosols and are prone to cause spray drift issues. Spray driftcontaminates neighboring land, crops, waterways, etc.

For many embodiments of the present inventions, the inventorscontemplate numerous advantages for spraying top dressing materials. Inparticular, applying a liquid formulation onto a top dressingcomposition of the present inventions would not present drift problemssince top dressing particles settle out of the air quickly, unlikeaerosols. Even further, in another embodiment, the inventors contemplatespraying particle formulations onto top dressing materials using topdressing vehicles of the present inventions. Further advantages of usingand delivering solids as in the compositions and methods of the presentinventions are to overcome problems with application of pesticides withconventional spray equipment. Conventional spraying is prone to workersafety problems due to skin exposure, inhalation, etc., which is not assevere with dry applications. These types of advantages are alsoprovided by using granular top dressing compositions of the presentinventions since they are heavier than a liquid spray alone.

The inventors contemplate that ‘on-the-go blending’ and simultaneousmixing and application technology as described herein would also solvethe problem of leftover spray mix when using traditional sprayingmethods. Normally, such leftover ‘tank mix’ is wasted, used improperly,disposed of improperly, and the like, which creates waste. Further,liquid left in the spray tank often leads to adverse changes in thechemical components due to salting out, corrosion, or chemical/microbialdecomposition. In contrast, the inventors discovered the methods of thepresent inventions reduce left over spray.

Further, there is a public relations concern associated with the sightof sprayers operating nearby to living spaces, recreation areas,schools, etc. whereas granule applications such as applications of sanddo not raise as much concern.

In summary, the application of pesticides with conventional sprayequipment is prone to environmental problems due to spray drift, whichcontaminates neighboring land, crops, and spills, which contaminate landand ground water, waterways, particularly near wellheads where water isoften drawn for dilution of tank mixes. etc., whereas the inventorscontemplate that spray compositions of the present inventions andgranular compositions do not present drift problems since particlesquickly settle out of the air.

Unrelated to the problems with traditional spray and granular A.I.applications, some of which are described herein, the inventors alsodiscovered during the course of development of the present inventions,that the majority of commercially available top dressing vehicles werefound in general to lack the capability to efficiently applytopdressings to golf course turfs. Thus not only do the inventorscontemplate significantly modifying currently available top dressingvehicles for use with the present inventions, they further contemplatethe design and use of top dressing vehicles for more efficientapplication of topdressing and topdressing formulations of the presentinventions while minimizing damage to turf areas at point-of applicationand reducing the cost of maintaining turf grass areas, including but notlimited to golf course turf.

Previous attempts were described or made to solve some of the problemsrelated to using conventional machines for the application of topdressing. In particular, although broadcast spreaders are known forspreading seed and fertilizers, broadcast spreaders did not widelypenetrated the top dressing market until the introduction of thebroadcast spreading top dresser of the type of U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,079,herein incorporated by reference. In particular, the majority ofcommercially available broadcast spreaders utilized mesh type conveyorshaving hinged links that are formed from metal or similar material.These hinged links form an array of cells open at the top and bottom.These hinges would allow materials such as sand to fall through theconveyors rather than be conveyed. Additionally, such previous broadcastspreaders were often driven by the power take off of the towing vehicle,with the spinners and conveyor being driven together. This increases thepower demands on the towing vehicle. Further, with previous broadcastspreaders, material was often present on the spinners at initiation ofspinner rotation. This material may initially be dispensed in a clumpor, at a minimum, may initially be distributed at a rate greater thanunder normal operating conditions. Thus, previous commercially availablebroadcast spreaders required a towing vehicle of considerable power andincluding a power take off, dispensed material in an amount greater thandesired in a top dressing application and unevenly at least at the startof spinner operation. These types of top dressing vehicles would beproblematic for obtaining optimal applications of compositions of thepresent inventions.

Top dressers of the broadcast spreading type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.6,149,079, herein incorporated by reference, have penetrated significantportions of the top dressing market. In particular, considerable marketsuccess has been experienced by the top dressers of the type of U.S.Pat. No. 6,149,079, herein incorporated by reference because of theirability to spread top dressing over wide areas while avoiding theproblems and deficiencies of previous commercially available broadcastspreaders.

However, top dressers of the type of U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,079, hereinincorporated by reference, were unable to dispense top dressing at heavyrates equivalent to that with top dressers of the drop type. Priorattempts to dispense top dressing with spinners at heavier ratesutilized shrouds such as of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.4,032,074, herein incorporated by reference, which in some cases weremoveable between operable and nonoperable positions. However, suchshrouds basically stopped the kinetic energy of the top dressingmaterial being propelled radially by the spinners and deflected thematerial downwardly in a controlled configuration, much like a drop-typetopdresser. Thus, it should be immediately appreciated that the width ofthe dispersed material perpendicular to the operation direction is thena function of the angle of the sides of the shroud, that the beneficialeffect of radial propulsion by the spinners is lost, and in the case ofmost powered spinners, did not result in even distribution. Therefore,turf managers who owned top dressers of the broadcast spreading typealso were required to purchase top dressers of the drop type to performboth light and heavy applications of top dressing in order to compensatefor the uneven applications of topdressing from the spinner-typemachines.

Particularly and specifically for heavy applications, the distributionpattern for materials distributed by one or more spinners of a broadcastspreader is often uneven. The distribution of material can be unevenalong either or both the direction that the broadcast spreader is movingand the width perpendicular to the direction that the broadcast spreaderis moving. Controlling the distribution of material along the directionthat the broadcast spreader is moving is typically controlled by acombination of spinner configuration, broadcast spreader ground speedand spinner velocity. However, controlling the distribution of materialfrom a powered broadcast spreader perpendicular to the direction thatthe spreader is moving has not been satisfactorily addressed by priorbroadcast spreaders. Thus, prior broadcast spreaders have continued togenerate an uneven depth of material perpendicular to the direction ofthe broadcast spreader's movement. Generally, the uneven depth is anartifact of loading the material at a particular location on thespinner. The placement of material at a particular position on thespinner will inherently concentrate the distribution of that materialwithin a particular radial arc about the axis of rotation of thespinner. The particular radial arc is determined by the configuration ofthe spinner and the speed that the spinner is rotating. Providingmultiple spinners typically merely changes the distribution profileacross the perpendicular and, typically, results in an unevendistribution profile across the perpendicular. Thus spinner typemachines that are capable of distributing even layers of top dressingmaterial would be preferred for use in the present inventions

Finally, none of these devices comprises compositions and methods forpoint-of-application liquid coating of top dressing materials.

A. Providing Top Dressing Vehicles of the Present Inventions.

The inventors show a need for providing a top dressing vehicle capableof use in the present inventions. The inventors contemplate top dressingvehicles for combining individual chemical applications and top dressingapplications, individual operations normally practiced on golf courses,into one procedure by providing a new type of top dressing vehiclecomprising, a topdressing vehicle and a chemical spray unit, i.e.sprayer. This combination of operations was contemplated to beaccomplished in its simplest embodiment, by attaching a chemical spraynozzle to a commercially available topdressing vehicle. Exemplary topdressing vehicles, in addition to those described herein, include butare not limited to those described in Topdressers, such as thosedisclose in exemplary U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,307,952, 4,438,873, 5,307,952,5,287,999, 6,149,079, 6,932,286 and United States Patent ApplicationsNos. 20030155453, 20030089805, 20030098373, and 20060006256, each ofwhich are herein incorporated in their entirety. In a furtherembodiment, a sprayer unit comprising a tank, pump, valves, compressorunit, spray nozzles, in addition to any component compatible with thefunction of a sprayer unit, are mounted onto top dressing vehicles, suchas exemplary finishing brush drop-type topdressers and spinner-typetopdressers, both of which are currently commercially available.Commercially available topdressing vehicles do not have any type ofattachment for spraying a substance, such as a liquid or solid, onto atop dressing material. Even further, none of the commercially availabletop dressers were designed for use in blending toxic chemicals with topdressing materials. Even further, none of the commercially available topdresser vehicles were designed for applying or delivering toxicchemicals. Thus the inventors further contemplate embodiments of topdressing vehicles that are specifically designed for use with solid andliquid forms of chemicals. In yet further embodiments, the inventorscontemplate making dedicated top dressing vehicles of the presentinventions comprising spryer units for incorporating embodiments asdescribed herein for new types of commercial top dressing vehicles.

The inventors further contemplate embodiments of top dressing vehiclesthat are specifically designed for optimal weight distribution over tirearea to protect turf. In additional embodiments, the inventorscontemplate top dressing vehicle comprising flow adjustor units forautomatically calculating and adjusting the flow rate from either thenozzles or directly released by a flow valve in between a tank and hoseleading to the nozzles. Specifically the amount of sprayed formulationand volume of top dressing material vs. forward speed of the machine.Further contemplated is downsizing the sand bin of current vehicledesigns, providing more area available for attaching a sprayer unit. Seefor example a Dakota 440, see, FIG. 9. Thus a top dressing vehicle ofthe present invention would have a similar size and weight of currenttop dressing machines while incorporating the weight of filled spraytanks and a sprayer unit with the additional function for providing asprayed material for delivering to an area of turf.

The inventors contemplate in one embodiment, applying a concentratedspray solution to a top dressing material, in particular sand, throughcommercially available spray nozzles mounted just above a conveyor beltthat carries sand from a bin to the finishing brush or to the spinners,depending on the type of top dressing vehicle. In either configuration,the sand would be treated just prior to being spread on the turf as amoist material. As the sand exits the machine, mixing of the treatedsand with any remaining untreated sand would occur so that an activeingredient (A.I.) is applied evenly across the turf treated with theswath of sand. The inventors contemplate adjusting volume and spreadwidth of sand, such as the adjusting capability of certain currenttopdressers, for example, a Dakota 440 with a control means foradjusting application parameters.

Further, in one preferred embodiment of the present inventions, the topdressing material is pre-coated by a top dressing vehicle comprising aconveying means for dispensing the top dressing material, and a meansfor spraying top dressing during dispensing. In one embodiment, themeans for spraying is a sprayer, comprising a tank, pump, valves, hose,nozzle and means for moving the formulation from the tank, through thehose, optionally into a pipe and ending at a nozzle for evenly sprayingthe formulation onto the top dressing material. In a preferredembodiment, the top dressing vehicle is capable of spraying a topdressing material, such as sand, with formulation as the sand movesalong the conveyer means, just before it drops onto the turf or is spunout/broadcast onto an area of turf. Examples of a means for moving theformulation include but are not limited to hydraulic and electricalunits.

In one preferred embodiment of the present inventions, a top dressingvehicle of the present inventions provides a wet top dressing materialcoated with a formulation comprising an AI. In one further embodiment,the coated top dressing is conveyed, such as by an elevator unit, into atopdresser vehicle as moist material. Further, in one embodiment, thewet coated top dressing is applied by the topdresser vehicle as a moistmaterial to an area of turf. In one preferred embodiment the wetmaterial is dispensed using a spinner unit of a top dressing vehicle. Inone preferred embodiment, the moist material is dispensed using afinishing brush unit of a topdresser vehicle.

In another embodiment, the coated moist top dressing material undergoesdrying prior to application to an area of turf. In another furtherembodiment, the coated top dressing is conveyed onto a surface fordrying. Drying may be done in several ways, such as drying the coatedmaterial in an onsite kiln, spreading the material out on the ground oron a drying surface, such as concrete or plastic, for air drying, and byadding a drying ingredient for removing the moisture from the coated topdressing material.

Specifically, the inventors contemplate advantages of top dressingvehicles of the present inventions, in other words a two-in-onesprayer/topdresser design over the current practices and top dressingdevices without spray attachments include: 1) less damage to golf courseturfs as two trips over the turf (spraying and top dressing) with heavyequipment are reduced to one trip, 2) savings in time and labor costs,3) less interruption of play, and 4) reduced golfer anxiety as thepesticide/fertilizer applications are concealed in a sand application.

Further, the inventors contemplate advantages of top dressing vehiclesof the present inventions as two-in-one sprayer/topdresser design overthe recently developed and marketed granule/sand blending machineinclude: 1) a greater number of A.I.-treated particles being distributedto the turf, 2) better distribution of A.I. over the spread swathbecause no particle mass (weight) differences exist between the heaviersand and the lighter chemical granules, 3) the ability to use moist/wetsand (cost savings) without fear of “gumming up” the equipment or sanddue to dissolving particles, 4) time, equipment, and labor savingsbecause the blended granule/sand material does not have to be loadedinto a standard topdresser for application, 5) lower equipment costsbecause a separate topdresser is not required, 6) the ability to adjustsand application volumes at will without affecting the rate ofchemical/fertilizer application, and 7) no left-over treated sandproduct to store or dispose of, and 8) potentially greater selection ofA.I.s that could be sprayed on the sand.

Even further contemplated advantages of making and using top dressingvehicles of the present inventions as two-in-one sprayer/topdresserdesigns and applications over the pre-treated and dried sand ofconventional applications include: 1) time, labor, and equipment costsavings in the preparation of the treated sand, 2) less worker exposureduring the preparation and application procedures, 3) the ability to usewet or dry sand of any type and in any application volume, 4) reducedequipment costs compared to treating and drying sand, 5) no shippingcosts to get the treated sand to the end user, 6) time, labor, andequipment cost savings in the application.

B. Providing Top Dressing Vehicles of the Present Inventions.

The inventors further contemplate a top dressing vehicle with fanadjustable foam-marking boom to allow the operator to locate the edgesof the throw pattern. This will prevent skips and over-laps, whichresult in either untreated or damaged turf. Spinners that require 100%overlap greatly reduce skips and overlaps. Additionally, as currentlyavailable on some commercial sprayers, spray volume could possibly becorrelated with ground speed to increase/reduce spray volumes to thesand to adjust for increased/decreased ground speeds. This unit could beused to apply virtually any materials that can be sprayed on golf courseturfs.

The inventors contemplate methods of providing a top dressing vehicle ofthe present inventions by attaching sprayer units to currentlycommercially available topdresser machines. In further embodiments, thefoam marking units would be supplied and attached to specially designedtop dressing vehicles of the present inventions. The inventorscontemplate devices for combining the chemical applications and sand topdressing applications normally practiced on golf courses into oneprocedure by mounting a chemical spray tank, pump, spray nozzles, etc.,onto finishing brush drop-type topdressers and spinner-type topdressers,both of which are currently commercially available. Exemplarytopdressers/machines include but are not limited to the followingvehicles. As described herein, the inventors contemplate attachingsprayer units onto topdressing vehicles for providing and usingformulations of the present inventions. In one embodiment, a topdresservehicle is a brush drop-type topdresser machine. Exemplary finishingbrush drop topdresser machines are also shown in the Figures anddescribed herein in the Examples.

In a preferred embodiment, a topdresser vehicle is a spin-type topdresser vehicle. An exemplary BTD-05 Bannerman Ultra Spin Topdresser hasdual hydraulically driven disks that broadcast top dressing material tovarious widths. Maximum spread width ranges between 12-20 feet, and theliterature indicates a capability of spreading, sand, peat, top dressingmix, rock salt and grit. With a holding capacity of 1.5 cu. Yds ofmaterial, listed with a capacility to be calibrated to achieve costcontrol of the materials to be spread prior to dispensing, powered bytractor hydraulics or an optional engine drive hydraulic power pack, a“Walking-beam axle” such that tires never leave the turf surface, inparticular treadless turf tires providing a consistent pressure of only10-12 p.s.i. on the surface, in addition to a variable-speed conveyorfloor (see, at world wide web.sportsturfmagic.com).

Another exemplary top dressing spinner machine as shown in the Figuresis commercially available from Dakota Sand and Peat and contemplated foruse in the present inventions. The inventors contemplate the use of aDakota Peat & Equipment 440 that has an eight cubic foot blender optionfor the Dakota 440 Turf Tender that allows superintendents to blendmaterials on site. Thus, in one embodiment, the sprayer is mounted overthe axle, on the left side of the Dakota 440 (opposite side of the sideconveyor) and other spinner-type topdressers, with a nozzle(s) mountedover or beside the sand conveyor belt at the rear of the machine, justabove, and in front of the spinners. The Dakota 440 has a long, opensand belt area just before the sand falls onto the spinners. If thenozzle was mounted directly above the belt, an even-pattern flat fanband spray nozzle with a capacity of 1 gallon/minute (Ex.: Tee Jet 8010Eor 1110E) to 1.5 gallon/minute (Ex.—TeeJet 8015E or TeeJet 11015E) woulddeliver sufficient spray volume to apply a 10-15 gallon/acre (GPA) sprayvolume to sand being applied to 4048+sq. ft. in a 20 ft. swath travelingat 2.3 MPH in a 1 minute duration.

In one embodiment, the nozzle(s) are mounted above and to the side ofthe sand belt at the rear of the machine (as an example, the Dakota 440has 2 ideal locations for mounting nozzles, see, Figures). Anoff-center, directed band spray nozzle could possibly be used, with aTeeJet OC12 or OC16 nozzle delivering 1.0-1.5 gallons/minute to the sandon the conveyor belt. Off-center nozzle tips apply an even band of spraybelow, and off to the side of the nozzle itself. The number and size ofnozzles used may depend on various factors such as travel speed, swathwidth; sand volume applied and desired GPA. Some flexibility could beachieved through the use of a rotating spray head, which might contain 3or more individual nozzles of various capacities. The operator (orcomputer) would simply rotate the spray head to utilize the appropriatespray tip for the speed of travel, swath width, and desired sand volume.Rotating spray heads already in use on spray booms for agriculture usesare contemplated for use with top dressing vehicles of the presentinventions.

In another embodiment, the inventors contemplate using a sprayer mountedonto a top dressing vehicle comprising a conveying means and a blendingmeans. Thus one example, a blending means is a mechanical blendercapable of mixing a top dressing material, such as sand, with anothersolid material, such as peat, compost, and the like, prior toapplication of a spray formulation. An exemplary vehicle applicable tothe present invention comprising a conveying means and furthercomprising a blending means, and even further comprising an elevatorattachment, is a Dakota 440 Blender (Dakota Sand and Peat Company). TheDakota 440 Blender is a sand/granule blender trailer machine thatdeposits the blended product into a traditional topdresser, via theelevator, for application to the turf. These blended granules may beimpregnated with pesticides, plant growth regulators, fertilizers, etc.However these machines do not have a spray attachment or a means forspraying a formulation onto a top dressing material. The inventorscontemplate that any vehicle comprising a conveying means is applicationto the present invention. In another preferred embodiment the inventorscontemplate spraying a formulation onto a top dressing material andusing a conveying means such as an elevator of an exemplary Dakota 440Blender machine to convey coated top dressing material into a topdressing machine for distributing the moist material onto turf or fordropping the material onto the ground while the Dakota 440 Blendermachine is stationary or moving.

The inventors further contemplate that any type of compost blendingmachine is applicable for use in the present inventions for attaching asprayer.

C. Embodiments of Sprayer Units for Attaching to Top Dressing Vehicles.

In general, any type of sprayer unit capable of dispensing liquids orpowders is contemplated for use in the present inventions. Basiccomponents of sprayer units include but are not limited to desiredcombinations of tanks, valves, hoses, nozzles, pumps, compressors,strainers, couplings/fittings, wands, controllers, regulators, etcetera.

1. Sprayer Units.

In preferred embodiments sprayer unit parts are contemplated forattachment to top dressing vehicles. Various means of attachment arecontemplated, however any means for attaching a sprayer unit, includingbut not limited to attaching any individual sprayer part, directly andindirectly, are included. Examples of means for direct attachment of asprayer unit and/or parts includes but is not limited to c-clamps, tape,clip on parts, such as clip on spray nozzles (United States PlasticCorp., Lima Ohio), U-bolts and the like. Examples of means for indirectattachment of a sprayer unit and/or parts includes but is not limited towelding tank holders, tank clamps, pump clamps, hose clamps, nozzleclamps, bars, booms, etc., onto top dressing vehicles. Further means forindirect attachments include any means for bolting, screwing, etc. and asprayer unit onto a top dressing vehicle.

Attachments may be permanent, such as built in, for example, a nozzlespring clamp is welded to a top dressing vehicle, tank holding clamps orstraps, hose clips, are bolted onto a top dressing vehicle, and thelike. In other embodiments, attachment is temporary, for example, tapinga sprayer part onto at top dressing vehicle, such as a nozzle, hose, andthe like. In other embodiments, the sprayer unit is a detachable unit.For example, a sprayer unit comprising any of the sprayer parts, such asa tank and pump, may be readily detached from a top dressing vehicle.Alternatively, a detachable sprayer unit may be readily attached to topdressing vehicle using indirect permanently attachments to the topdressing vehicle. Thus in another embodiment, the attached sprayer unitmay be configured as a detachable unit.

Thus in one embodiment, a sprayer unit is contemplated for attaching toeither side or both sides of the top dressing hopper on the spinner-typemachines and on the front hitch area for the drop-type topdressers. Suchthat in another embodiment, the top dressing vehicle comprisespermanently attached nozzle clips.

However, for other embodiments, a sprayer unit is contemplated for useas an unattached unit, where the nozzle is attached to the top dressingvehicle. For example, a hand-held sprayer unit sprays through a nozzleattached to a top dressing vehicle. In some embodiments, the unattachedunit is a hand-held sprayer. In other embodiments, the sprayer is usedas an unattached unit for providing a composition of the presentinventions. In some embodiments, the nozzle used with an unattached unitis a hand held wand. In other examples, the nozzle is attached to thetop dressing machine. For example, in one embodiment, a sprayer unit iscontemplated for use mounted on a flatbed for use in the presentinventions. The flatbed may be mobile or immobile. A mobile flatbedwould find use with smaller topdressing vehicles where the extra weightof the sprayer unit and liquid chemicals would harm the turf due tocompaction. In another embodiment, the flatbed is mobile for movingalong with the top dresser vehicle, wherein the nozzles are attached tothe vehicle. In another embodiment, the flatbed is immobile, for use incoating a topdressing material prior to application. In a furtherembodiment, the immobile flatbed finds use for coating topdressingmaterial provided by a blender type topdressing vehicle, such as aDakota 440, wherein the nozzle(s) are attached to the topdressingvehicle.

The inventors contemplate the use of any suitable chemical tank for usein the present inventions. Exemplary tanks are provided by the tanksize, such as 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 80-gallon tanks. The optimal size ofthe tank is a small tank, such as a 5, 10, and 20 up to a 50-gallontank. However the optimal tank size for the vehicle will depend onseveral variables including but not limited to the concentration of thespray formulations (gallons/acre) intended for use, the weight of thetopdresser, and how much sand the superintendent intends to deliver asregular treatments.

Tank sizes are contemplated to match certain factors as follows. On thespinner type machines, the spray area is typically a 10″-12″ conveyingmeans, i.e. belt, with a range of swath widths from 12′-36′ such that a1×-3× spray volume tank capability is contemplated to accommodate theseranges. By adding in variables such as various ground speeds, it becomesapparent that volume adjustments, such a flow adjusters, are necessary.

In the examples, the inventors are delivering the sand at the low end ofthe recommended amount, such as those quantities recommended by anacknowledged expert (Beard, J. B. 1982. Turf Management for Golf Coursesp. 144, Burgess Publishing Co, Minneapolis; Beard, J. B. (and The UnitedStates Golf Association) 2002. Turf Management for Golf Courses, secondEd, Ann Arbor Press. p. 159 and Table 3.1, Ann Arbor Press, Chelsea,Mich., herein incorporated by reference). However the inventorscontemplate other amounts for delivering top dressing as recommended inBeard (Beard, J. B. 1982. Turf Management for Golf Courses p. 144,Burgess Publishing Co, Minneapolis; Beard, J. B. (and The United StatesGolf Association) 2002. Turf Management for Golf Courses, second ed.,Ann Arbor Press. p. 159 and Table 3.1, Ann Arbor Press, Chelsea, Mich.,herein incorporated by reference).

Thus in the compositions of the present inventions, the amount of sprayapplied was 9 gallons/acre, on the low end of recommended amounts basedupon the average concentration of commercially available chemicals,however the inventors contemplate even further lowering of the amount ofliquid necessary for a treatment, up to 50%, or greater. Such that,using a 9 GPA spray solution, a spray tank with a 50-gallon capacity,would be the minimum size contemplated for the smaller topdressers of 1cubic yard sand capacity, such as the Dakota 410 top dresser. At 9 GPAand the exemplary 1.1 cu. yd. sand/applied in the examples, this wouldallow for an estimated 5 re-fills of the sand hopper (covering 5.5acres) for every refill of the spray tank. Another exemplary tank sizecalculation provided for the Dakota 440 with a 5 cubic yard hoppercapacity, the estimated necessary tank capacity would be at least a150-gallon tank at recommended A.I. concentrations. This would allow for3 re-fills (for 13 acres of coverage) of the larger hopper 14, FIG. 10,for every spray tank 3, re-fill. For contemplated concentrated spraysolutions, undiluted concentrates, the inventors estimate using a5-gallon tank on small topdressers and a 15-gallon tank on the largeunits. In one embodiment, a tank is contemplated for mounting over theaxle of a top dressing vehicle, for example on the left side of a Dakota440 (opposite side of the side conveyor) and where appropriate on otherspinner-type topdressers. However the inventors contemplate the use oflarger tanks for applying and delivering A.I.s at current applicationrates.

However, on top dresser machines of the present inventions, where thesizes of the sand hoppers are contemplated for reduced sizes of sandhoppers in order to compensate for the extra weight of the spray unit,in order to avoid damaging weight compaction of turf, tanks on thesmaller size, 50 gallons or less, are contemplated for use. Theinventors contemplate reducing water volumes need in the tanks for thespray solutions, as far as possible while retaining efficacy, to providean even coverage of A.I. to the topdressing, with no visible turfphytotoxicity after treatment of the grass plants, and without nozzleplugging during treatment. Tank size will also depend on what size thecurrent topdresser designs will accommodate, thus the inventors furthercontemplate using custom contoured tanks, et cetera.

The inventors further contemplate the use of valves, compressors, andpumps as additional components of a sprayer unit. The inventorscontemplate using valves compatible with the sprayer systems of thepresent inventions. Various types of valves are contemplated, includingregulator valves, regulated manually or automatically. Other types ofvalves include shut off valves, for example an emergency shut off valve,ball valve et cetera.

The inventors contemplate using compressors compatible with the sprayersystems of the present inventions, such that the compressor providesstuffiest pressure for combination of tank size, valves, hose diameters,hose lengths, etc., for providing a desired flow rate through theattached nozzles, for example providing a specific p.s.i. (pounds persq. inch) of liquid ejected from the nozzle. In a preferred embodiment,the inventors contemplate a CO₂ sprayer attached to the top dressingvehicle, for blending, dropping and spinner applications. An exemplaryCO₂-powered sprayer, see, for example, at worldwide web.masspray.com, isprovided for use in the present inventions. The inventors contemplatethe use of a larger capacity sprayer unit, i.e. larger in volume, thanused for the Examples described herein. Specifically, the inventorscontemplate a sprayer system capacity capable of treating a topdressing, i.e. sand moving onto an exemplary path 40′ swath at 7 MPH(miles per hour) axle speed. In another exemplar speed of application isbroadcasting a 12′-20′-swath at a 3-5 MPH axle speed. In particular, theinventors contemplate the use of an electric pump. In anotherembodiment, the inventors contemplate the use of a hydraulic pump aspart of a tank sprayer unit. The inventors further contemplate the useof a CO₂ compressor.

Regarding the Dakota 440 and a sprayer attachment, the inventorscontemplate a blender option, in one embodiment for commercialavailability, where a sprayer unit is installed/attached to the machinelocation in place of the granule bin 15, FIG. 10. This would provide alarge area for the spray curtain to cover the conveyor belt, coveredwith topdressing material, before the top dressing drops onto the nextconveyor, in addition to allowing greater operator access to the sprayerequipment. In other embodiments, where both granule blending and sprayedsand options are included in the same machine, the inventors contemplatedesign changes to house the spray tank, pump, etc., see, FIG. 10 forexamples. Where multiple options are provided, the nozzles arecontemplated to be attached in a location for applying a spray near thebase of the elevator (after the sand has dropped onto the belt), usingthe elevator housing to support the nozzles, for example, see FIG. 10.Alternatively, the inventors contemplate attaching nozzles where thebelt passes under the granule-blending unit for spraying the sand as itdrops onto the belt. In other embodiments, the spray unit is attached atthe rear of the Dakota 440 TurfTender for spraying the belt conveyingmeans. In this embodiment, a nozzle would be attached where the spraycoat sand being moved on top of the conveying means before the sanddrops onto the spinners, see FIG. 8.

These examples are not meant to limit the type of sprayer unit, nortypes of components, such as valves, compressors, pumps, nozzles, hoses,etc., nor location of sprayer unit or components. Any sprayer unitcapable of applying the formulations of the presenting inventions whenattached to a topdresser vehicle finds use in the present inventions.

2. Types of Nozzles.

Nozzles contemplated for use in the present inventions include but arenot limited to commercially available nozzles. Any nozzle capable ofproviding a uniform application across a topdressing material, includingmixtures of top dressing materials, sand, and the like, are contemplatedfor use.

In general, the nozzles would preferably be attached toward the rear ofthe top dressing machine (drop-type, and spinner-type). However otherlocations are contemplated depending upon the type of top dressingvehicle being used. The inventors contemplate attaching a nozzle(s)mounted above or at the side of a sand conveyor belt at the rear of atop dressing machine, just above, and in front of the spinners, as oneexample, the Dakota 440 TurfTender has an accessible, long, open sandbelt area just before the sand falls/drops onto the spinners. Howeverany location is contemplated where appropriate on other spinner-typetopdressers and drop-type top dressing machines. Many brush-drop typetopdressers have space in front of the sand bin for a sprayer unit andlarge areas of access to the conveyer belt where nozzles could bemounted behind the sand bin just in front of the brushes.

In a preferred embodiment for both types of top dressing vehicles, theattached nozzle is an even-pattern nozzle (also called band nozzles.Such that, in one embodiment, an exemplary nozzle is directly mounteddirectly above a conveying means, such as a belt, see, for example,FIGS. 4D and 5B. In these examples, the inventors used an even-patternflat fan band spray nozzle with a capability of allowing a flow of 1gallon/minute (for example, a Tee Jet 8010E, 1101E, and the like, TeeJetTechnologies, Carol Stream, Ill.) for at least allowing a flow of 1.5gallon/minute (for example, a TeeJet 8015E, TeeJet 11015E, and thelike). These nozzles are contemplated to deliver a sufficient sprayvolume to for applying an exemplary range of 10-15-gallon/acre sprayvolume to sand as the sand is being distributed/applied to a 4000+ sq.ft. area of turf as a 20 ft. swath, while the vehicle is traveling at2.3 MPH in a 1 minute duration.

In general, any nozzle that sprays a liquid in a preferable flat spraypattern is also contemplated for use. Nozzles contemplated for use inthe present inventions are attached at an approximate 95-degree anglefor spraying approximately 0.2 gallon/minute at 40 PSI. In a furtherembodiment, a TeeJet Flat Fan 9502E nozzle is contemplated for use.

As used herein, the “E” of the nozzle number refers to the capability ofthe nozzles to spray the same volume across the entire pattern (band),see, FIG. 12A. E nozzles are not meant to be overlapped. However othertypes contemplated for use include flood jet nozzles, cone jet nozzles,twin jet nozzles, full jet nozzles, etc. These other types of nozzleswould allow changing spray volumes to accommodate various swath widths,ground speeds, etc. on the top dressing machines.

On the other hand, the inventors contemplate one nozzle type and sizefor attaching to top dressing vehicles for each of the applications,regardless of sand volume, travel speed, or swath width. The nozzleheight above the sand belt would depend on the nozzle type finallyselected. A 110 degree even band nozzle would likely be mounted 4″-6″above the sand belt, while an 80 or 95 degree even band nozzle wouldlikely be mounted at 5″-7″ above the sand belt. An off-center, directedspray nozzle would likely be mounted less than 9″ above and a few inchesto the right or left side of the sand belt. The sand belt itself isabout 1′ wide on the 440. The objective would be to apply an even bandof spray to the entire width of the sand belt, whichever nozzle isselected. For using nozzles with the drop-type belt topdressers, apreferred embodiment is to attach more than one nozzle close as possibleto the sand to minimize wind interference and drift. A single nozzle wasnot found to be applicable to the drop-type top dressers because even a110 degree even spray pattern nozzle would have to be mounted too high(above the machine) in order to cover a 5-6 ft swath. In a preferredembodiment, the top dressing vehicles have attached even-pattern nozzleseach spraying approx. an 18″ band on the wide belt top dressers.

For using nozzles with the spinner-type topdressers, a preferredembodiment is to attach at least one nozzle, as described for thedrop-type top dressing vehicles. In even further embodiments, theinventors contemplate a top dressing vehicle with a flow rate adjustor.In a further embodiment the flow rate adjuster would control multipletypes of nozzles in order to adjust the spray volume to match theapplication in addition to other variables such as the type and amountof top dressing material to be covered, the type of application, theground speed of the vehicle, the terrain, hill vs. flat, etc. In yet afurther embodiment, the attached nozzle would be a rotating nozzleassembly of different nozzle types and volumes, multiple nozzles mountedin series that can be shut off individually, and the like.

Further, certain types of turf allow lower applications of sand peracre. For example, recent cultivars of turfgrass plants growing on golfcourse areas and other types of turf show similar benefits with loweramounts of applied sand than used in the example above. Lower volumes ofsand would require lower amounts of spray amounts. Even further, inanother embodiment, the inventors contemplate formulations with higherpercentages of A.I.s (concentrated sprays). In these applications theinventors contemplate nozzles using nozzles that are capable ofdispensing even sprays with lower volumes of fluid.

Contemplated vehicles of the present inventions have, in one embodiment,at least one nozzle mounted above and to the side of the conveyingmeans, such as a belt 8 at the rear of the vehicle (for example, theDakota 440 has 2 ideal locations side mounted nozzles, FIG. 8) forspraying a liquid onto the conveying means. Off-center nozzle tips applyan even band of spray below, and off to the side of the nozzle itself,for examples, a TeeJet OC12, TeeJet OC16, and the like, nozzledelivering 1.0-1.5 gallons/minute. The number and size of nozzles useddepend on various factors such as travel speed, swath width, and volumeof sand moving under the spray. One additional advantage of using aside-mounted nozzle is physical, such that the nozzle is less likely tointerfere with access to the rear areas of the vehicles where access tothe rear gate is desired. Further, the inventors found that when theymounted and used a side mounted nozzle on a Dakota 440 with the blenderunit attachment and with an elevator unit it did not interfere with themovement of these units whereas a top mounted nozzle was less compatiblewith FIGS. 8,9 and 11.

Additional flexibility is contemplated through the use of a rotatingspray head, which might contain 3 or more individual nozzles of variouscapacities. The operator (or computer) would simply rotate the sprayhead to utilize the appropriate spray tip for the speed of travel, swathwidth, and sand volume he plans to apply. Similar rotating spray headsare already used on spray booms in agriculture. Currently, a sand volumeof 0.025 cubic yard/1000 sq. ft., a spread width of 18′, and a groundspeed of 2.3 MPH are being used. On the other hand, research mayeventually show that one nozzle type and size can fit all applications,regardless of sand volume, travel speed, or swath width, if spray volumeand sand spray coverage turn out to not be important efficacy factors.The nozzle height above the sand belt would depend on the nozzle typefinally selected. A 110-degree even band nozzle would likely be mounted4″-6″ above the sand belt, while an 80 or 95 degree even band nozzlewould likely be mounted at 5″-7″ above the sand belt. An off-center,directed spray nozzle would likely be mounted less than 9″ above and afew inches to the right or left side of the sand belt. The sand beltitself is about 1′ wide on the 440. The objective would be to apply aneven band of spray to the entire width of the sand belt, whichevernozzle size or type is selected. It is appreciated that various othernozzle configurations operative herein will be apparent to one of skillin the art.

D. Additional Embodiments for Preventing Accidental and PotentiallyHarmful Over Application of Agriculturally Active Ingredients onto TurfGrass.

The inventors further contemplate providing and using flow rateadjusters for adjusting spray volumes, user manuals, and markers forcontrolling the coverage of top dressing materials provided by vehiclesof the present inventions.

During the course of developing vehicles of the present inventions, theinventors discovered that the Dakota 440 Turf Tender does notautomatically compensate application rates for speed of the vehicle, norgate height, nor conveyor speeds, nor blending speed, nor instructionsspecific to for applying and delivering a top dressing material.However, the gate heights and belt (conveyor) speeds were manuallyadjustable for controlling blending operations and spreading operations.Currently the vehicle operator has to calibrate each material separatelyfor both the blending and spreading operations. For example, at anygiven gate setting or belt speed, dryer sand comes out at a differentspeed than wetter sand, such as kiln dried sand compared to saturatedsand. In addition, the inventors discovered that different types of sandblends of the present inventions had different rates of applicationdespite using identical settings. For example, a 5% Daconil™/sand blendmoved and was applied at a different rate than Prophesy™/sand blends,etc., see Examples. This variability in amounts between products wasalso found in the blending operation, in addition to the spreadingoperation. Therefore the opportunity for error potential withoutcalibration tests provides at least a 2-fold difference in the amount ofsand/blend applied between the different blends over less error insimply spraying sand as it left the topdresser. In other words, sprayingtop dressing materials, by hand or with vehicles of the presentinventions, the spray rate is the principle variable, whereas dryformulations have compound variables including blending rates and thespreading rates.

Therefore the inventors further contemplate providing several types ofcalibration aids for use with compositions, vehicles, and methods of useof the present inventions. Calibration aids are contemplated in the formof written instructions and/or charts for providing suggested machinesettings and operator instructions. This information should decrease theamount of time and increase the efficiency when using the compositionsand vehicles of the present inventions, in particular with usingdifferent types of formulations and top dressing materials under avariety of terrain, turf grass plants, and disease applications. Inparticular, the inventors contemplate removing variability betweenspecific types of applications, such as blending and applying blends ofProphesy™ (GR), Andersons 5% Daconil™ GR fungicide and the like. Inparticular, the inventors contemplate providing instructions, such ascharts showing optimal settings, either specific or in ranges, fortreating various types of top dressing materials of the presentinventions for the use of the vehicles of the present inventions.Further, these instructions are contemplated to provide specificapplication instructions for types of turf grass plants and severity ofdisease out breaks or maintenance goals.

The types of calibration aids are contemplated to include but are notlimited to a users manual, such as a user guide, operating instructions,and the like. Calibration aids also include a label for attaching to thevehicle, a manual for attaching to a vehicle, such as an embossed metallabel, a waterproof manual, wherein example of an attachment include achain, bolt, rivet, glue and the like. A calibration aid of the presentinvention comprises providing recommended settings for blending anddelivering a composition comprising any one or more of A.I.s incombination with at least one of the types of topdressing materials ofthe present inventions. In another embodiment, the calibration aidcomprises recommended conveyor speeds, gate opening settings, etc. foruse with commercially available A.I. formations, top dressings, type ofturf grass cultivar, type of turf, i.e. golf course green. In furtherembodiment, a chart comprising the setting recommended by the inventorsfor use with a top dressing vehicle is provided.

Thus in one embodiment, the inventors contemplate a calibration label,for example, a label attached to a Dakota 440 for providing optimalsettings for using a Dakota 440 TurfTender as a top dressing vehicle ofthe present inventions. In another embodiment, the inventionscontemplate providing a chart, for use with the Dakota 440 TurfTender orother commercially available blender, elevator, drop-type andspreader-type topdressing vehicle.

In another embodiment, the inventions further provide a “flow adjustercompensator unit” comprising a flow compensator valve and software whichalters the sprayer valve setting and thus the spray rate based upondefined variables for preventing over application of an A.I. to an areaof turf. Examples of defined variables include but are not limited tothe speed of the topdressing vehicle, thus in general, a slow movingvehicle has a slow spray rate where the spray rate increases as thevehicle increases speed, however other variables are contemplated tocalculate into adjusting the flow rate, such as sensing variables ofaxel speed, speed of the conveyor belt, height of the gate in the rearof the spinner machine which regulates the amount of releasedtopdressing material, and type of topdressing material, sand, peat, soiland mixtures thereof, and type and concentration of active ingredient.In further embodiments, the inventors contemplate calibration aids asdescribed herein.

Many types of markers, including foam markers, are used for preventingoverlapping of materials used to cover surface areas in order to providean even coverage of materials. In particular, markers are used in theagricultural industry for preventing harmful over doses of activematerials. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,274, herein incorporated byreference, provides a device for making furrow markers in order to showwhere materials were spread over the ground. However marking a furrow inturf areas, such as golf courses, damages the sod and renders thesurface unplayable.

In order to overcome such damage, in one embodiment, the inventorscontemplate using 100% overlap spinners to prevent skips and harmfuloverlaps on spinner machines. In other embodiments, brush-drop-typespreaders are used to apply coated sand without skips or harmfuloverlaps because the swath edges are more sharply delineated than thetapered swath edge observed with spinner-type topdressers.

Further contemplated is marking the edge of the throw pattern fromspinner-type machines and drop-type topdresser applied swaths of appliedcoated top dressing material. Thus the inventors contemplate adding anadjustable foam-marking boom to the top dressing vehicle in order toallow the operator to locate the edge of the throw pattern. Evenfurther, a marker composition is contemplated for use with the foamboom. Even further, a marker composition is contemplated for adding tothe spray formulation for monitoring both the amount of sprayed materialonto the top dressing material and for monitoring the swath ofdistributed top dressing material on the turf. For example, U.S. Pat.No. 6,369,122, herein incorporated by reference, which discloses foammarker compositions for delineating treated from untreated areas. Othertypes of foam marking systems contemplated for use with vehicles of therepresent inventions include Richway marking systems, such as a RichwayTrac Master, see, at World Wide Web richway.com/turftracker.pdf, hereinincorporated by reference.

In one embodiment, the inventors contemplate a single line of foam. Forexample, a single line of foam provided by a foam unit mounted on thetractor pulling the vehicle is contemplated for use with Dakota topdressers. In other embodiments, two or more lines of foam arecontemplated. In preferred embodiments, the inventors contemplateattaching a foam unit directly to the top dressing vehicle in order toprovide a single line Of foam centered with the spread swath. In otherembodiments, the foam unit is provided with the injector mounted on aboom, see FIG. 7B. In a further embodiment, the boom length isadjustable (as in telescoping) for various swath widths (12′-20′ andothers). In this case, the operator would center the tractor directlyover a foam line to achieve 100% overlap, whatever swath width they areusing. Boom-mounted ejector units may be necessary if the sand, whenapplied heavily, masks a swath-centered foam line. In anotherembodiment, the foam disappears in about 15 minutes, for example, DAWNdetergent foam.

Thus any type of marker is contemplated for use that will reveal thepresence of and prevent skips and over-laps of coated material, whichresult in either untreated or damaged turf. It is anticipated that skipsand unintentional overlaps will be minimized through the use of 100%overlap spinners, which are available for some spinner-type topdressers,such as the Dakota models. Additionally, spray volume is contemplated asadjustable for correlating with ground speed to increase/reduce sprayvolumes to the sand to adjust for increased/decreased ground speeds,respectively. The top dressing vehicles of the present inventions arecontemplated for use in applying and delivering virtually any materialsthat can be sprayed on golf course turfs.

In one embodiment, clear foam with rapidly degrading foam iscontemplated. Colored foam might be useful in areas of turf, such asfairways, where the foam would fall into the canopy, or areas whereswaths are wider, making a clear foam line harder to observe (forexample, at world wide web richway.com/buyersguide.pdf). Thus in someembodiments, the markers used for monitoring applications of coated topdressing materials would be colored in such as way as to reduce golferanxiety, for example, using rapidly biodegradable markers, foam, andusing neutral colors such as brown, yellow, blue, green, and the like.

In summary, the present invention provides top dressing vehicles forcombining the sand top dressing operation and the chemical applicationoperation normally practiced on golf courses into one procedure bymounting a chemical spray tank pump; spray nozzles, etc., onto finishingbrush drop-type topdressers, spinner-type topdressers, and blending topdressers. Further, the inventors' contemplate, and provide herein, arange of embodiments of top dressing vehicles intended for particularapplications of formulations of the present inventions. Additionally,any disclosed compositions, such as exemplary compositions referencedherein, may find use in methods providing such compositions using topdressing vehicles of the present inventions for applying liquidfungicides and other A.I.s onto top dressing materials and blending topdressing materials with A.I.s at a point-of-application, such that asthe materials are blended they are used, in other words the compositionsare simultaneously coated and dropped or broadcast onto areas of turfgrass. Even further, the inventors' contemplate, and provide herein, arange of embodiments of top dressing vehicles for use in methods ofapplying commercially available and formulations available in the futureintended for application onto turfgrass plants.

EXPERIMENTAL

The following examples serve to illustrate certain embodiments andaspects of the present invention and are not to be construed as limitingthe scope thereof.

In the experimental disclosures which follow, the followingabbreviations apply: g (grams); L and l (liters); ml (milliliters); m(meters); min (minute); s and sec (second); sq (square), ft (foot,feet), square foot (ft²); ha (hectare), ac (acre), lb (pound), gpa(gallons per acre), gph (gallons per hour), GR (granule), Liters perHectare (L/ha), Liters per acre (L/ac), and LSD (Least SignificantDifference Test).

Example I Materials and Methods

The following is a description of exemplary materials and methods thatwere used in subsequent Examples II and III, with exemplary resultsshown in FIGS. 1 and 2, during the development of the presentinventions.

Exemplary test compositions were provided and used as turfgrasstreatments as shown in Tables below. Test treatments were applied to anestablished providence creeping bentgrass putting green (0.15 inchcutting height) on the Hancock Turfgrass Research Center on the MichiganState University campus in East Lansing, Mich. Treatments are applied tofour replicate 2′×6′ plots with 6″ alleys using a CO₂-powered backpacksprayer (foliar applications) and a Scotts™ 22″ drop spreader fordelivering sand treatments and treatments comprising a granularformulation of A.I. hand blended with sand. Sand was supplied as localsand obtained in the Lansing, Mich. area of the United States.

Combined sand (topdressing) and chemical (A.I.) compositions fortreatments were created by applying Scotts Miracle Gro™ (36-6-6) solublefertilizer and/or commercial turfgrass fungicides in an aqueoussolution, onto dry topdressing sand (sand meeting USGA specifications),and re-drying the treated sand prior to application/delivery. For theseexamples, the liquid was applied to the top dressing by soaking the sandin the aqueous solutions contained by a bucket.

Each treatment of a sand composition of the present inventions was thenpre-weighed and applied to each plots individually, while the sprayapplications were applied at 50 GPA and allowed to dry on the grassplant foliage. The sand treatments were not brushed into the turf aswould be customary, but irrigation was applied to wash the sand into thecanopy, foliage and turfgrass plant, and activate the fertilizer orchemicals. The sand application rate of 138-lbs/1000 ft² approximatesthe highest application rate within the recommended range of 45-135lbs/1000 ft² (Beard, J. B. 1982. Turf Management for Golf Courses p.144, Burgess Publishing Co, Minneapolis; Beard, J. B. (and The UnitedStates Golf Association) 2002. Turf Management for Golf Courses, secondEd, Ann Arbor Press. p. 159 and Table 3.1, Ann Arbor Press, Chelsea,Mich., herein incorporated by reference). Treated plots that did notreceive Miracle Gro™ fertilizer were fertilized with Lebanon CountryClub™ (greens grade) fertilizer (18-3-12) at the same rate of actualnitrogen/1000 ft² that the Miracle Gro™ treated plots received.

Treatment application was initiated on Jul. 15, 2007, and on subsequentdates through Sep. 18, 2007, as indicated in the data tables thatfollow. In each experiment, the fungicides/fertilizer treatments werereapplied on a 14-day schedule. Natural infections of dollar spot withinthe study area were uniform ranging from 10-15% of the surface area whenthe July 15 treatments were initially applied.

Treatments initiated at later dates were placed on more heavily diseasedplots because over time the disease intensity increased at least 60% inuntreated and control plots over time of the duration of study.

Example II

This example demonstrates the effectiveness of compositions of thepresent inventions to suppress dollar spot fungus, in an exemplary“Suppressive dollar spot sand study.” Field plots were treated with thecompositions as described in Tables 3 and 4, with results demonstratedin FIGS. 1 and 2.

Sand top dressing compositions of the present inventions were preparedand used as treatments as described in the Example 1, while liquidformulations were applied by spraying on field plots in order todetermine whether agricultural chemicals would continue to be effectivewhile using sand as a carrier. Spraying rates were described in Example1 at rates per 1000 s.q. feet.

The inventors found that formulations of the present inventionscomprising sand coated with a liquid mixture of azoxystrobin andpropiconazole in the form of Headway™ by Syngenta (Active Ingredients:Azoxystrobin: methyl (E)-2-{2-[6-(2-cyanophenoxy)pyrimidin-4-yloxy]phenyl}-3-methoxyacrylate as 5.73% and propiconazole:(CAS No. 60207-90-1) as 9.54%, in other words 0.868 lb A.I.propiconazble and 0.521 lb A.I. as azoxystrobin per gallon) in oneembodiment as an exemplary fungicide in the strobilurin class ofchemical compounds. Additional examples of compositions and methods ofthe present inventions were provided using a mixture of triadimefon andtrifloxystrobins in a formulation of Tartan™ Bayer Environmental Science(Active Ingredients: triadimefon (CAS No. 141517-21 7) 4.17% andTrifloxystrobin (CAS No. 43121-43 3) 20.86%, equivalent to 2 pounds oftriadimefon and 0.4 pounds of trifloxystrobin per gallon). In furtherembodiments, these fungicides were used with and without an All PurposeMiracle Gro™ fertilizer 24-8-16 (24-% nitrogen, 8% phosphorus, and 16%potassium by weight) (Scotts Miracle-Gro Company), provided dollar spotdisease control comparable to the standard spray formulations ofHeadway™ and Tartan™ sprays alone on three successive rating dates.Exemplary data is shown in Tables 3, 4 and by arrows in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In terms of turfgrass quality, the combination of Headway™ with MiracleGro™ fertilizer applied to sand gave significantly better turf qualityon the three rating dates, compared to the Headway™ spray alone andHeadway™ spray in combination with homogeneous methylene urea CountryClub™ (18-3-12;18% nitrogen, 3% phosphorus, and 12% potassium)fertilizer (LebanonTurf). This improvement was consistent with the turfquality improvement often seen following sand topdressing applications.No phytotoxicity was observed during the study duration although turfgreening/darkening was increasingly apparent with reapplication ofHeadway and Tartan treatments.

TABLE 3 Suppressive dollar spot sand study, 2007. Rating Scale: Meanvisual estimation of percent plot area infected with dollar spotdisease. Treatment (Trt) and Application Aug 4 Sep 1 Sep 22 Trt #Rate/1000 sq ft^(a) Timing Mean^(b) LSD^(c) Mean LSD Mean LSD 3Headway ™ and 14 0.0 a 0.25 a 0.1 a fertilizer-coated sand 1.5 fl oz and0.19 lb nitrogen on 138 lb sand 1 Headway ™ spray 1.5 fl 14 0.0 a 0.313a 0.2 a oz 12 Tartan ™ spray 1 fl oz 14 0.5 a 0.25 a 0.4 a 2 Headway ™coated 14 0.2 a 0.688 a 0.4 a sand 1.5 fl oz on 138 lb sand 15 Tartan ™coated sand 1 fl 14 0.0 a 1.5 a 0.8 a oz on 138 lb 16 Tartan ™ andfertilizer- 14 0.1 a 1.5 a 0.8 a coated sand 1 fl oz and 0.19 lbnitrogen on 138 lb sand 17 Headway ™ spray 7 na 0.875 a 0.9 a treatmentalternated with a 138 lb sand application 18 Tartan ™ spray 7 na 1.875 a1.9 a treatment alternated with a 138 lb sand 6 Fertilizer-coated sand14 32.5 b 45 b 38.8 b 0.19 lb nitrogen on 138 lb sand 13 UntreatedControl 14 41.3 c 46.25 b 43.8 b 5 Plain sand applied at 14 40.0 c 50 c45.0 b 138 lb ^(a)Each treatment was applied on the same day, 7/15,7/29, 8/11, 8/26, and 9/8, for 5 total applications. ^(b)Average of 4replicate plots. ^(c)Means followed by the same letter are notsignificantly different from each other (LSD, 5%).

TABLE 4 Suppressive dollar spot sand study, 2007, for rating: Turfgrassquality following each application. Rating scale: 1-10, where 1 = poor,7 = acceptable, and 10 = excellent. Treatment and Rate/ Application Aug4 Sep 1 Sep 24 Trt # 1000 sq ft^(a) Timing Mean^(b) LSD^(c) Mean LSDMean LSD 3 Headway ™ and fertilizer- 14 8.6 a 11.3 a 9.0 a coated sand1.5 fl oz and 0.19 lb nitrogen on 138 lb sand 2 Headway ™ coated sand 147.8 bc 10.9 ab 8.5 b 1.5 fl oz on 138 lb sand 1 Headway ™ spray 1.5 fl14 7.3 c 10.6 bc 8.4 bc oz 15 Tartan ™ coated sand 1 fl 14 7.5 bc 10.8 d8.1 cd oz on 138 lb 12 Tartan ™ spray 1 fl oz 14 7.5 bc 10.8 cd 8.0 d 17Headway ™ spray 7 na 7.7 e 8.0 d treatment alternated with a 138 lb sandapplication 18 Tartan ™ spray treatment 7 na 7.7 e 8.0 d alternated witha 138 lb sand 16 Tartan ™ and fertilizer- 14 8.1 ab 11.1 cd 7.9 d coatedsand 1 fl oz and 0.19 lb nitrogen on 138 lb sand 6 Fertilizer-coatedsand 14 5   d 9.5 f 2.3 e 0.19 lb nitrogen on 138 lb sand 5 Plain sandapplied at 138 lb 14 3.5 e 8.8 g 2.0 e 13 Untreated Control 14 3.3 e 8.6fg 2.0 e ^(a)Each treatment was applied on the same day, 7/15, 7/29,8/11, 8/26, and 9/8, for 5 total applications. ^(b)Average of 4replicate plots; na = not available. ^(c)Means followed by the sameletter are not significantly different from each other (LSD, 5%).

Example III

This example demonstrates the effectiveness of compositions of thepresent inventions to suppress dollar spot fungus, in an exemplary“curative study.” The results of curative treatments shown in exemplaryTables 5-6 include treatments added to the study later in the growingseason. The treated plots were in various stages of recovery from severedollar spot infections (ranging from 50-60%) so conclusions in theselater studies were not provided for treatment efficacy on a curativebasis.

The data indicated that turfgrass recovery using an A.I. comprisingfungicides including chlorothalonil in a formulation comprising DaconilUltrex™ (Active Ingredient: Chlorothalonil(tetrachloroisophthalonitrile) 82.5% as Water Dispersible Granules,Syngenta) and Chipco 26GT™ (Active Ingredient: Iprodione(3-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-N-(1-methylethyl)-2,4-dioxo-1-imidazolidinecarboxamide))23.3% (contains 2 pounds of active ingredient iprodione per gallon asSextant™ now called OHP® Chipco® 26GT-O, OHP, Inc. P.O. Box 230,Mainland, Pa., 19451)) may be slower when these fungicides are place onsand compared to slightly better activity towards dollar spot whenapplied as foliar sprays. The delayed or reduced efficacy was especiallyapparent in contrast to highly successful control of dollar spotinfections using formulations of sand comprising propiconazole as aBanner Maxx™ formulation. Banner Maxx™ formulations were equallysuccessful with and without adding Miracle Gro™ fertilizer. Aformulation of the present inventions was also provided as a FlowableFungicide as an exemplary Daconil Weather Stik™ Fungicide (ActiveIngredient:Chlorothalonil (tetrachloroisophthalonitrile) of 54.0% inother words, 6.0 pounds chlorothalonil per gallon (720 grams per liter)Syngenta Crop Protection, Inc. Greensboro, N. C. 27409).

In another embodiment of a granular formulation, the A.I. is Prophesy™.In another embodiment of a granular formulation, the A.I. is containedwithin a formulation of AND6259 (Prophesy GR plus fertilizer). Bothtreatment formulations provided rapid turf recovery from heavy dollarspot infections, with the treated areas recovering by approximately 50%when observed four days after initial treatment applications.

These treatments were included to investigate the efficacy of commercialfungicide and experimental fungicide granular products when they areapplied to or blended with top dressings and distributed by hand. Thusthe inventors contemplated that treated sand and a blend of granularfungicide and fertilizer products with top dressing sand is a viableoption for disease control and turfgrass quality improvement.

TABLE 5 Curative suppressive dollar spot sand study, 2007. ApplicationTrt # Treatment and Rate/1000 sq ft Timing Mean^(a) LSD^(b) 22 Chipco26GT ™ 4 fl oz^(c) 14 20.5 a 30 AND 6259 ™ 10 lb + Prophesy ™ (GR) 5lb + Sand 14 22.5 ab 138 lb Dry Blend^(f) 19 DaconilTM ™ Weather Stik5.5 fl oz^(c) 14 23.8 a-c 29 AND 6259 ™ 5 lb + Prophesy (GR) 2.5 lb +Sand 14 27.5 a-d 138 lb Dry Blend^(f) 27 Prophesy ™ (GR) 2.5 lb +Fertilizer Sand 0.19 lb 14 30.0 a-d N/138 lb Dry Blend^(f) 28 Prophesy ™(GR) 5 lb + Fertilizer Sand 0.19 lb 14 30.0 a-d N/138 lb Dry Blend^(f)23 Banner MaxxTM ™ 1 fl oz^(d) 14 33.0 b-d 20 DaconilTM ™ Weather StikSand 5.5 fl oz/138 lb^(c) 14 33.8 b-d 21 Chipco 26GT ™ Sand 4 fl oz/138lb^(c) 14 35.0 cd 26 Banner MaxxTM ™ Sand (ETOH^(h)) 1 fl oz/138 lb^(e)14 36.3 de 25 Banner MaxxTM ™ Sand w/Fert 1 fl oz + 0.19 lb 14 47.5 efN/138 lb^(d) 24 Banner MaxxTM ™ Sand 1 fl oz/138 lb^(d) 14 51.3 f 5 Sand138 lb^(g) 14 55.0 f 13 Untreated Control 14 55.0 f Rating scale: Meanvisual estimation of percent plot area infected with dollar spotdisease. Rating date: Sep. 22, 2007. ^(a)Average of 4 replicate plots.^(b)Means followed by the same letter are not significantly differentfrom each other (LSD, 5%). ^(c)Treatments applied 9/1 and 9/15.^(d)Treatments applied 9/8 and 9/22. ^(e)Treatments applied once on9/12. ^(f)Treatments applied once on 9/18. ^(g)Treatment applied 5times, each on 7/15, 7/29, 8/11, 8/26 and 9/8. ^(h)Banner MaxxTM appliedto sand in an ethanol (EtOH) carrier rather than water.

TABLE 6 Curative suppressive dollar spot sand study, 2007. ApplicationTrt # Treatment (Trt) and Rate/1000 sq ft Timing Mean^(a) LSD^(b) 22Chipco 26GT ™ 4 fl oz^(c) 14 5.5 a 30 AND 6259 ™ 10 lb + Prophesy ™ (GR)5 lb + Sand 14 5.5 a 138 lb Dry Blend^(f) 19 DaconilTM ™ Weather Stik5.5 fl oz^(c) 14 5.0 a 27 Prophesy ™ (GR) 2.5 lb + Fertilizer Sand 0.19lb 14 4.8 a N/138 lb Dry Blend^(f) 29 AND 6259 ™ 5 lb + Prophesy ™ (GR)2.5 lb + Sand 14 4.8 a 138 lb Dry Blend^(f) 20 DaconilTM ™ Weather StikSand 5.5 fl oz/138 lb^(c) 14 4.3 ab 21 Chipco 26GT ™ Sand 4 fl oz/138lb^(c) 14 4.3 ab 23 Banner MaxxTM 1 fl oz^(d) 14 4.3 ab 28 Prophesy ™(GR) 5 lb + Fertilizer Sand 0.19 lb N/138 lb 14 4.3 ab Dry Blend^(f) 26Banner Maxx ™ Sand (ETOH^(h)) 1 fl oz/138 lb^(e) 14 3.3 bc 25 BannerMaxx ™ Sand w/Fertilizer 1 fl oz + 0.19 lb 14 3.0 bc N/138 lb^(d) 24Banner Maxx ™ Sand 1 fl oz/138 lb^(d) 14 2.5 c 5 Sand 138 lb^(g) 14 2.0c 13 Untreated Control 14 2.0 c Turfgrass quality using a rating scale:1-10, where 1 = poor, 7 = acceptable, and 10 = excellent. Rating date:Sep. 24, 2007. ^(a)Average of 4 replicate plots. ^(b)Means followed bythe same letter are not significantly different from each other (LSD,5%). ^(c)Treatments applied 9/1 and 9/15. ^(d)Treatments applied 9/8 and9/22. ^(e)Treatments applied one time on 9/12. ^(f)Treatments appliedone time on 9/18. ^(g)Treatment applied 5 times, each on 7/15, 7/29,8/11, 8/26 and 9/8. ^(h)Banner MaxxTM applied to sand in an ethanol(EtOH) solvent rather than water.

Example IV

This example shows exemplary drop-type topdressing vehicle of thepresent inventions. See, exemplary topdressing vehicles in FIGS. 3-6.

In one embodiment, a sprayer was attached to a drop-type topdressingvehicle of the present inventions and then was used in fieldapplications for applying/delivering fungicide-sprayed sand to an areaof test turfgrass. In one embodiment, a trailer type drop-typetopdressing vehicle was provided comprising a CO₂ backpack sprayer withtwo TeeJet™ 8002E even band nozzles attached to a topdressing vehicle.This exemplary attached sprayer was used for a fungicide to moist sandmoving along the belt conveyor prior to reaching the brush and beingdistributed/delivered onto the turf. See, FIG. 3.

In another embodiment, a self propelled drop-type topdressing vehicle(providing a 3 foot wide swath of applied sand) of the presentinventions was provided comprising a CO₂ backpack sprayer with twoTeeJet™ 8002E even band nozzles attached to an exemplary topdressingvehicle, i.e. a Meter-R-Matic™ Top Dresser, Turfco™. See, FIG. 4. Thisexemplary attached sprayer was used for applying a fungicide to sandmoving along the belt conveyor prior to reaching the brush and beingdistributed onto the turf. This exemplary topdressing vehicle was usedfor delivering moist sand compositions in the Examples.

In another embodiment, a trailer drop-type topdressing vehicle of thepresent inventions was provided showing an exemplary attached sprayerunit comprising a tank, hose, nozzles and schematic of compressor unitattached to an exemplary 5 foot wide (sand swath width) Tycrop™QuickPass™ topdresser vehicle/machine. Further provided was exemplaryfoam marking system for attaching to a topdressing vehicle of thepresent inventions, FIG. 6B.

See, FIGS. 5 and 6, demonstrating a 5′ (providing a swath of appliedtopdressing material 5 feet in width) drop-type topdresser retrofittedwith a small spray unit to apply chemicals to the sand belt just beforethe sand reaches the finishing brush for spreading the sand formulationof the present inventions onto the turf.

Example V

This example demonstrates the curative capability of delivering a moistcomposition of the present inventions at a point-of-application using adrop-type topdressing vehicle of the present inventions. Further, theseresults show superior results of delivering a moist top dressingcomposition consisting of sand and a granular/dry form of a fungicide,i.e. comprising propiconazole, as an Andersons Prophesy™ GR(propiconazole) formulation over delivering a blended formulationconsisting of sand and Andersons 5% Daconil™ GR fungicide. See, FIG. 13,arrows point to brown areas of fungal infected turf.

The inventors tested a moist sand formulation of the present inventionson an area of turf as part of the Hancock Turfgrass Research Center onthe Michigan State University campus in East Lansing, Mich. A vehicle ofthe present invention was provided as in FIG. 4, as described above, fordistributing this moist formulation of the present inventions.

A moist formulation was provided by placing a topdressing sand materialin the main hopper of a Meter-R-Matic™ Top Dresser, Turfco™, and placinga fungicidal spray mixture in the tank for spraying the fungicide as acoating onto the sand just prior to application onto an area of turf atthe Hancock Turfgrass Research Center on the Michigan State Universitycampus in East Lansing, Mich. Rating Scale was provided as a percentrecovery determined 11 days after the first application.

The sand moisture level for earlier experiments ranged between 1%-8%water content by weight (based on air drying). Sand used duringexperiments later in the summer (Mete-R-Matic Study) had approximately1%-2 percent water content. At saturation, the topdressing sand used forthese experiments was approximately 16.5% water by weight. In general,water weight at saturation is a variable dependent upon the particularstarting composition of sand. Sand processing practices and storageconditions prior to use as a topdressing material is a factor thatdetermines the moisture level of any topdressing sand.

TABLE 7 Meter-R-Matic ™ sprayed sand curative dollar spot study, 2008.Trt # Treatment (Trt) and rate/1000 sq ft Mean^(a) LSD^(b) 7 Chipco26GT ™ topdresser 84.2 a sprayed sand 4 fl oz on 67.5 lbs sand 6 Chipco26GT ™ spray 4 fl oz 69.0 ab 1 Banner Maxx ™ spray 1 fl oz 68.0 ab 2Banner Maxx ™ topdresser 50.1 a-c sprayed sand 1 fl oz on 67.5 lbs sand4 Andersons Prophesy ™ GR 2.5 lbs 41.0 b-d 5 Andersons Prophesy ™ GR 2.5lbs 31.3 cd blended w/ sand 67.5 lbs sand 8 Untreated control (no sand)25.0 cd 3 Topdresser sand only 67.5 lbs sand 12.5 d Rating Date: Sep.22, 2008. Rating Scale: Percent turfgrass recovery from dollar spotdisease levels at study initiation. ^(a)Mean of four replicate plots.^(b)Means followed by the same letter do not differ significantly (LSD,p = 0.05).

Example VI

This example shows several embodiments of sprayer units attached tospinner-type topdressing vehicles and blending-type topdressing vehiclesof the present inventions. Some embodiments are demonstrated asschematics while other embodiments are provided showing actualcomponents. These types of topdressing vehicles are contemplated for usein spraying a liquid fungicide or any other liquid agriculturally activeingredient onto a topdressing material, such as sand, peat, soil andmixtures thereof.

In one embodiment, a schematic showing the placement of a sprayer unitattached to a topdressing vehicle of the present invention is provided,see, FIG. 7A. In another embodiment, a schematic showing a contemplatedplacement of nozzles for spraying a liquid over sand during broadcastand a schematic of a spray curtain and attached foam marking system isprovided, see, FIG. 7B. In another embodiment, a schematic showing acontemplated placement of nozzles for spraying a liquid over sand priorto entering the spinner device is provided, FIG. 7C. In particular, theschematic provides nozzles attached above the topdressing materialproviding a spray curtain directly above the topdressing material.

Further, this example provides a spinner-type topdressing vehicle of thepresent inventions used for delivering a moist sand formulation of thepresent inventions. This exemplary spinner-type topdressing vehicle, asshown in FIG. 8, comprises a sprayer unit attached to a Dakota 440spinner topdressing vehicle 1 for coating a topdressing material at apoint-of-application, where the nozzle is attached at the rear of thetopdressing vehicle. In one embodiment, provided in FIG. 8, the nozzleis an off-center spray nozzle and attached to the vehicle at one side ofthe conveying means at the rear of the vehicle. In another embodiment,one off-center nozzle on each side is contemplated for attachment. Inanother embodiment, more than one nozzle per side of conveying means forspraying a liquid onto the conveying means is contemplated forattachment. The placement and number of the nozzles is for providingadequate coverage and even distribution of liquid onto the topdressingmaterial being conveyed by the conveying means.

In another embodiment, the inventions provide a blending-typetopdressing vehicle of the present inventions 1, wherein a sprayer unitis attached; see an exemplary topdressing vehicle in FIG. 9. In thisexample, a blending unit 9 capable of blending at least one additionalmaterial with a topdressing material is provided, where the attachednozzles are placed at the side and/or above the conveying means wherethe nozzles do not interfere with the operation or movement of theblending device into a nonoperable position. The blending device of theexemplary vehicle is shown in an operable location in FIG. 9A, and aninoperable location in FIG. 9B. Further, the exemplary topdressingvehicle shows a blender/elevator unit 6 attached with a conveying means8. Thus in another embodiment, the nozzles are contemplated forattachment above the conveying means of the elevator for spraying aliquid onto the conveying means as shown schematically in FIG. 10A. Inanother embodiment, a schematic showing a contemplated location for anattached sprayer unit, as represented by tank 3, is shown in FIG. 10B. Afurther embodiment contemplates locating a spraying unit outside of orbehind a second hopper attached to a topdressing vehicle or in place ofa second hopper, where a second hopper is shown in FIGS. 10A, open, and10B, closed, located in the front of this exemplary blender-typetopdressing vehicle.

In a further embodiment, a topdressing vehicle of the present inventionsis provided for coating a topdressing material. In this embodiment, thetopdressing vehicle coats the topdressing without delivering it to anarea of turf. As shown in FIG. 11, a schematic shows an attachedsprayer, where the placement of a nozzle is above the conveying means.In this embodiment, the contemplated coated topdressing is provided in amoist form for subsequent disbursement. In a further embodiment, themoist formulations of the present inventions are contemplated to undergosubsequent drying prior to distribution onto an area of turf. Theinventors contemplate air-drying and kiln drying of the formulations ofthe present inventions provided by the topdressing vehicles of thepresent inventions. The inventors do not intend to limit this type ofcoating to methods using topdressing vehicles, such that methods forcoating a topdressing material with an A.I. comprises any type of spraydevice capable of spraying an A.I., such as a table or rotating drummixer comprising a conveying means and a sprayer unit attached in amanner capable of providing spray coated sand formulations of thepresent inventions.

Exemplary spray curtains/patterns are provided in FIG. 12, wherein aschematic spray curtain formed by a single nozzle and two nozzlesproviding nonoverlapping spray curtains are shown in FIG. 12A. Aschematic of an overlapping spray curtain is shown included in FIG. 12B,contemplated for attachment to topdressing vehicles of the presentinventions and for use in spraying liquid formulations onto topdressingmaterials as provided herein.

Example VII

This example demonstrates the curative capability of treatmentscomprising dry formulations of the present inventions using acommercially available spinner-type Topdressing vehicle. Further, theseresults show superior results of treatments comprising a blendedformulation consisting of sand and a granular/dry form of a fungicide,wherein the A.I. was propiconazole, as an Andersons Prophesy™ GRformulation over treatment comprising a blended formulation consistingof sand and chlorothalonil in the form of an Andersons 5% Daconil™ GRfungicide granule. For comparison, the same AIs were provided in liquidform and used as sprays.

The inventors tested dry formulations of the present inventions on anarea of turf as part of the Forest Acres Golf Course, East Lansing,Mich. One dry formulation was provided by placing a topdressing sandmaterial in the main hopper of a Dakota 440 TurfTender top dressing witha blending attachment 9 (see, FIG. 10) and placing the granularAndersons Prophesy™ GR in the smaller hopper leading to the blendingunit. Another dry formulation was provided by placing Andersons 5%Daconil™ GR fungicide granule in the smaller hopper 15 for blending withsand as the sand was conveyed 8 to the spinner units 6.

The Dakota 440™ blended sand/granule application was a 1:27 blend ofAndersons Prophesy™ GR (propiconazole) fungicide: moist sand (2.5lbs/1000 sq. ft.: 67.5 lbs/1000 sq. ft.) applied in 2 trips (100%overlap) over the plots. The estimated total was 34-lbs/1000 sq ft oftopdressing applied per trip. In one embodiment, the dry formulation waspre-blended with sand with the Dakota 440™ where the blender is mountedon the front of the vehicle with the blended material conveyed forwardinto a drop pile. The blended material was re-loaded into the mainhopper for spreading with the conveyor belt moving the blended materialtowards and into the rear spinner unit.

For comparison, a spray solution being applied to sand on the Dakota 440at a tank concentration of 3.8% Banner Maxx™ liquid comprisingpropiconazole, in other words 0.5 fl. oz. of tank solution was appliedto 34 lbs topdressing sand/1000 sq. ft. with 2 trips over the plot with100% overlap (1 fl. oz./1000 sq. ft. on 67.5 lbs sand). The spray wasapplied at 9 GPA. A foam marker unit was attached to the tractor towingthe Dakota 440™ which provided a dotted line of foam, lastingapproximately 15 minutes, which marked each trip allowing for an evendistribution of the blended formulation.

Treatments of a usual sand volume application blended with AndersonsProphesy™ GR just prior to spreading were applied on areas of turfnaturally infected with Dollar Spot fungi with visible brown areas. FIG.15 shows the broadcast area and sand composition as an exemplary Dakota440 spinner-type topdressing machine applied it. Arrows show the patternof sand broadcast during application. Table 8 shows the curativecapability of a dry formulation of blended sand comprising apropiconazole formulation application equivalent to a spray applicationof Banner Maxx™ (liquid propiconazole) spray and a Daconil™ Ultrexspray. In contrast, sand blended formulation of Andersons 5% Daconil™ GRfungicide did not appear to reduce fungal infection of the turfgrass.

The inventors discovered during test runs that several parameters of theDakota 440 TurfTender™ had to be altered for using the Dakota 440TurfTender™ in methods of distributing formulations of the presentinventions. In particular, the blender-metering gate on the Dakota 440TurfTender™ allowed the Anderson Prophesy™ granules to leak over the topof the metering gate, resulting in a higher blend rate than desired forthat product. The inventors placed tape over the opening at the top ofthe gate, which stopped the excess granule distribution. Additionally,when the blender/elevator unit was in the operable position, granulesexiting the blender bin tended to escape the blender unit and fall tothe ground. These leaks were sealed by the inventor prior to furthertreatments. Lastly, the rear-metering gate 12 on the Dakota 440TurfTender machine 1 was insufficiently precise, under normal operation,to accurately apply pesticide granule/sand blends evenly across thespread swath. Therefore the inventors were required to begin providingspecific calibration settings for use in the present inventions.

Further, the inventors discovered that when using the white spinnerblade option, requiring one pass, they were unable to obtain asufficiently consistent distribution of sand blended or sprayed withfungicide across the swath of distributed material. Specifically, thewhite spinner blades distributed the material too heavily near themachine and too lightly on the fringes of the swath. Testing the blackspinner option, which requires for providing an overlap spread pattern,gave an acceptable distribution in the overlap pattern following twopasses (100% overlap) of the topdresser.

TABLE 8 Forest Acres Dakota 440 ™ Top Dresser Dollar Spot Study, 2008.Percent Dollar Spot per plot area on Sep. 18, 2008* Trt Treatment(Trt)^(a) Rate Rate Application Data By Rep No. Name Amount UnitInterval 1 2 3 4 Mean LSD^(b) 1 Andersons 2.5 lbs/1000 ft2 14 days 0 0 33 1.5 B Prophesy ™ GR applied by hand 2 Andersons  2.5/67.5 lbs/1000 ft214 days 0 0 0 0.0 B Prophesy ™ GR/Sand hand blended and applied by hand3 Andersons  2.5/67.5 lbs/1000 ft2 14 days 0 0 0 0 0.0 B Prophesy ™GR/Sand blended and applied with a Dakota 440 ™ Topdresser 4 Sandapplied by 67.5 lbs/1000 ft2 14 days 5 15 40 15 18.8 A hand 5 Untreatedcontrol 7 20 35 35 24.3 A without sand 6 Andersons 5% 3.35 lbs/1000 ft214 days 1 10 25 35 17.8 A DaconilTM ™ GR fungicide applied by hand 7Andersons 5% 3.35/67.5 lbs/1000 ft2 14 days 5 20 10 35 17.5 ADaconilTM ™ GR fungicide/sand hand blended and applied by hand 8Andersons 5% 3.35/67.5 lbs/1000 ft2 14 days 20 25 25 15 21.3 ADaconilTM ™ GR fungicide/sand blended and applied with a Dakota 440Topdresser 9 Banner Maxx ™ 1 fl 14 days 0 0 0 0 0.0 B spray oz/1000 ft210 DaconilTM 3.2 oz/1000 ft2 14 days 0 3 0 3 1.5 B Ultrex ™ spray*Treatments applied on Aug. 22, 2008 and Sep. 4, 2008.^(Sprayed treatments)were applied using a CO₂-powered backpack sprayerwith a double nozzle (8002E) boom at 96 GPA with 40 PSI. ^(b)Treatmentmeans followed by the same letter are not significantly different fromeach other (p = 0.05).

Further types of blended mixtures were provided and used as testtreatments. In particular, treatments comprising 90:10 sand:peat blendswere sprayed with Banner Maxx™ fungicide and then used for treating turfinfected with Dollar spot fungus for determining whether peat affectedthe efficacy and/or duration of fungal control using an effectiveformulation of Propiconazole in the form of Banner Maxx™ fungicide(Active Ingredient: propiconazole: (CAS No. 60207-90-1) 14.3%, containsa nominal 1.3 pounds of active ingredient per gallon (Label) (SyngentaCrop Protection, Inc. Greensboro, N.C. 27409).

All publications and patents mentioned in the above specification areherein incorporated by reference. Various modifications and variationsof the described method and system of the invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit ofthe invention. Although the invention has been described in connectionwith specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that theinvention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specificembodiments. Indeed, various modifications of the described modes forcarrying out the invention that are obvious to those skilled in groundskeeping, green keeping, turf grass plants, turf grass fields, chemistry,botany, or related fields are intended to be within the scope of thefollowing claims.

1. A top dressing vehicle comprising, a dispensing unit, a conveyingmeans and a sprayer.
 2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said sprayer isconfigured to deliver a spray onto said conveying means.
 3. The vehicleof claim 2, wherein said spray is a liquid.
 4. The vehicle of claim 1,wherein said vehicle is selected from the group consisting of a trailerand self-propelled vehicle.
 5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein theconveying means is selected from the group consisting of conveyorsystems, conveyor belts, belt conveyors, screw conveyors, augers,feeders, and elevators.
 6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the sprayercomprises a pump, a tank, a regulator valve, a hose, and a nozzle. 7.The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the nozzle is attached to the vehicleabove the conveying means.
 8. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the tankis attached to the vehicle.
 9. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein thedispensing unit is selected from the group consisting of a blendingdevice, an elevator, a drop spreader, a brush spreader, and a spinnerspreader.
 10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the nozzle is attached ina position for spraying a liquid in between the conveying means and thedispensing unit.
 11. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a topdressing material.
 12. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a flowrate adjuster unit.
 13. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising acalibration aid.
 14. A method for making an apparatus, comprising, a)providing, i) a top dressing vehicle selected from the group consistingof a blender machine, a drop spreading machine, a spinner spreadingmachine, and an elevator machine; and ii) a sprayer unit comprising atank, a pump, a hose, and a nozzle, and b) attaching said nozzle of thesprayer unit to said top dressing vehicle.
 15. The method of claim 14,further comprising, attaching the tank to said top dressing vehicle. 16.The method of claim 14, further comprising, attaching the hose to saidtop dressing vehicle.
 17. A method of using a top dressing vehicle,comprising, a) providing, i) a top dressing material, ii) a sprayableformulation, comprising an agriculturally active ingredient for treatinga top dressing material, iii) a top dressing vehicle, comprising aconveying means and a sprayer unit, wherein said sprayer unit is capableof spraying the formulation onto a top dressing material, and b)spraying the formulation onto the top dressing material with the sprayerunit of the top dressing vehicle for providing a treated top dressingmaterial.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein during the spraying ofstep b) the top dressing material is moving through the spray.
 19. Themethod of claim 17, wherein the agriculturally active ingredient isselected from the group consisting of a fungicide, insecticide,herbicide, plant growth regulator, soil wetting agent, fertilizer, planthormone, plant extract, biological control agent, and plant nutrients.20. The method of claim 17, wherein the sprayer unit is attached to thetop dressing vehicle.
 21. The method of claim 17, wherein said topdressing vehicle further comprises a dispensing unit.
 22. The method ofclaim 21, wherein the dispensing unit is selected from the groupconsisting of a blending device, a drop spreader, a brush spreader, aspinner spreader, an elevator, and a broadcast spreader.
 23. The methodof claim 21, wherein said treated top dressing continues to move to adispensing unit.
 24. The method of claim 14, wherein said top dressingmaterial comprises sand.
 25. The method of claim 14, wherein said topdressing material is selected from the group consisting of sand, peat,soil, and blends thereof.